September is the new January…that is, when it comes to Goal Setting.

Make this first day of September your New Years Day….

This may not be the first time you are hearing this, however it is something that you may want to try. Typically people set New Years resolutions, or goal setting, in January. When you think about it, January is probably the worst time of the year that anything action related would happen.  Here in the northern hemisphere it is cold, dreary and to be honest the energy for starting something new just isn’t there.

September is actually a much better time to embark on a new initiative.  Energy levels are high after the restful summer vacation period and most people are itching to sink their teeth into something active. Activities that will propel them in new and exciting directions.

Goal Setting Techniques

The goals you are contemplating may be personal goals or it could be the achievement of career goals. Authors like James Ray have provided some techniques to segment your goals into the specific areas of life. By doing this you can organize your goals using the five Pillars of life which are; Financial, Relational, Mental, Physical and Spiritual.

SMART Goals

By incorporating a system of setting SMART Goals you will stay on track, be motivated and yes….organized. Use these guidelines and you will be achieving amazing results in no time.

• The goal must be Specific, state it in a way that you or anyone who hears it will know exactly what it is that you want.

• The goal must be stated in terms that are Measurable, this will let you know that you have reached the goal, or not.

• The goal needs to be something that is going to stretch you beyond your comfort zone and at the same time is Attainable.

• Most times the R is Realistic, however recently I was introduced to the R as being Risky. This is great because you really do want to add a bit of risk, it needs to feel uncomfortable, this discomfort is a sure sign of growth.

• The last component requires that you set a Timeline for the goal. Some goals may take longer than others, be realistic about the time you will need for completion.

A Goal is just a lonely Noun

Setting a goal is great, but by itself a “goal” is just a lonely noun. Goal setting is only the beginning. In order to make the goal a reality, concrete action is required.  These actions are the things that you do consistently on a day-to-day basis that give the goal life.

Managing your GOALS with technology

There are several ways to handle goal management. With online technology you can use one of the free programs available that allow you to enter your action plan for reaching your desired goals.  I recently found a very cool tool called Teamly. In their words this is what the site does…”Teamly is a new kind of productivity tool based around a simple question: if you could only get 5 things done today, what would they be? Teamly helps you avoid unrealistic to-do lists and focus on what really matters—so you can get the right work done.” They had me at Productivity and focus. Also incorporating the “Top 5” methodology makes goal achieving Realistic, that other R that I did not use previously. You can sign up free at TEAMLY to manage your goals online.

If you have a desire to use traditional methods for goal achieving a “Top 5” methodology is the most effective tool for making it all happen. In simple terms you pick the Top 5 actions that you will do on a weekly basis, yes you heard right, only 5 per week. By completing these very strategic actions you will realize the set goals without overwhelming yourself with the traditional unmanageable to do list.

While you are enjoying the last few dog days of summer you can set aside time to create a goal plan…so when September rolls around you can hit the ground running.

If you haven’t heard of Social Media then you probably do not have a computer, blackberry, iphone, ipad, do not read any newspapers or watch a television. To be honest it is everywhere. In the past few months I have heard facebook and twitter referenced in movies and TV shows. Most notably, in the last six months the queen of all things cool, Ms Oprah Winfrey, has reinvented her website and it is using Social Media extensively.

According to Wikipedia…

“Social Media is the blending of technology and social interaction for the co-creation of value”.

In plain English it is a tool to connect and network with your clients or potential clients to give some sort of information or value with the intent of creating a business relationship. There are several types of Social Media that you can use as a business owner or someone working in a business to connect with others for the purpose of attracting clients.

Common Social Media Types

The most commonly used Social Media types would be blogging and Social Networking sites like Linked in, Facebook, twitter and youtube. The question then becomes, what Social Media type is best for my situation. As we know, all networking or social media is not created equal. As in any marketing plan, it is important that you use the right medium to send your message and social marketing is no different.

Attracting your Ideal Client with Social Networking

Identifying who your ideal client is will help to narrow down the choices of social media that will be most effective. For example, if you are targeting the 35-45 year old female, then facebook is your spot.  If you have a niche product or service, a blog will attract potential clients quicker. If it is connections for business you are seeking out then Linked in will fill the bill.

Finding your Authentic message in Social Networking

An important consideration is how you want to present yourself in all of these platforms. Will you be presenting yourself or the company? Create a 140 character or less bio and an avatar (picture) to upload to all of the profiles you will have to create. Make sure the person or company message you are presenting is an authentic representation of what you want people to see.

Tools to help you Manage and Organize your Social Web

There are many tools available to use that make Social Marketing quick and efficient. For instance by using a tweetdeck you can manage multiple twitter accounts in addition to keeping a finger on the pulse of any specific topic or person. In a few minutes each day you can scan and choose which conversations you want to be involved in. Linked in, youtube and facebook actually send weekly update on your account to a specified e-mail address so you can quickly scan what is happening with your connections, the information comes to you instead of you trying to find it.

Time blocking and Batching tasks are great techniques to keep the time you commit daily to your social networking at a minimum. By picking specific times during the day and sticking to them you are in control of the amount and frequency rather than it pulling you in and distracting you from the other important things that you need to accomplish daily.

Why do I need Social Media?

Some people are questioning the whole Social media thing and asking why they need it. Here is my question….If you are not monitoring and managing the messages who is?

Like most people you are already feeling time deprived and the thought of adding another thing to your already busy schedule may seem more than you can handle. However, creating a social media strategy to fit into your already busy schedule is possible and with a these time saving Social Media tips and shortcuts you can be friended, followed and connected in no time at all.

Andrea Cyr was the lucky winner of a 2 hour blitz that I provided as a door prize at a networking event in April. This was not a fluke…Andrea had facebooked me several months before and inquired about my services. She was making many substantial changes in her life and felt it was the right time to Take Charge and get about the business of getting her home in order….you see Andrea has some very bold, exciting goals that  require focus…and that requires organization. Through her desire to win and her belief in the Law of Attraction she made it happen. Here is the result of the 2 hour session in her awesome words. You can meet Andrea here

Organizing was never my forte.  Heck, it wasn’t even in my vocabulary.  Then I met a little spitfire named Elaine Shannon and that all changed.  I had no idea life could be like this!  Let me share my story.

I don’t know how I ended up so unorganized.

I think my mother landed on this planet directly from another galaxy called “A Place for Everything, and Everything in its Place”.  She has had the SAME shoe box with first-aid type supplies in the bathroom closet for 47 years!  I don’t remember EVER having to ask “Mom, where’s the ozonol (or band aids, or Absorbine Jr., or peroxide…etc…), it was in the shoe box!

You would think I would have caught on.  Then again, this is a woman who ironed our socks and put them on OVER our shoes when we were babies, so maybe I just thought she was a little bit crazy!

Anyway…until recently, if I even owned a tube of Ozonol, I would have to look in at least 5 places to find it!  The cut, or burn, or blister or whatever would be healed by the time I found the Ozonol!  I didn’t have a place for ANYTHING, and NOTHING was in place.  If I mistakenly took out my contact lenses before searching the house for my glasses, I was doomed!

About a month ago, Elaine Shannon, organizing superwoman came into my house!

It was fascinating.  She was wearing a t-shirt and sneakers ( I guess she figured she had her work cut out for her!) and carrying a filing box from which she removed a bottle of water, a label maker and a little pad of yellow sticky notes.  And we began.  We went through my “cozy” little condo like a wild fire.

Please understand that I don’t even see the things that Elaine picked out.  She just had to walk into a room and look around for a second before she started furiously writing on her little sticky note pad.  She would tell me what needed to be done, what containers to buy, what hanging organizing thingies I needed then SMACK!!! Stick the little yellow note on the wall!  (not 30 percent into the job, she ripped the note pad in half suddenly realizing she didn’t have enough notes for the organizing nightmare that was my little house!)

By the time she left an hour later, there were sticky notes on every wall, every door, in every drawer and in every cupboard.  It was at once hilarious, fascinating and a little intimidating!

A month later I can’t believe the difference.

Not only in my house, but in my life!  Elaine’s work has made my life easier, and I am so much happier.  I don’t have the frustration of looking for things any more.  Everything is in its place!  If I want to paint my nails, I just go to the “nail supplies” container and pick my products!  When I want to find out how much my power bill was last month, I go to the “power bill” file!  I had no idea it could be so easy.

Meeting Elaine has enhanced my life in many, many ways.

But having all my cereal in the same cupboard is truly one of the highlights!  Thanks Elaine.  You’re an amazing woman and a true organizing guru!

Definition of Social Media

by Ron Jones “Social media essentially is a category of online media where people are talking, participating, sharing, networking, and bookmarking online.” I agree with Ron as he further adds that as an activity it is a two way form of marketing and by golly….it is just fun to do.

Lunch is also an activity where people talk, share, network and yes have fun…however sadly enough over 70%  of office workers claim that they are eating lunch at their desk. Well that is not fun, a bit anti social and quite frankly not good for your health.

I was not aware of these staggering Lunch statistics until I was doing my research for this post.  If someone has the stats for self employed people who eat alone at their desk while working please drop by and share the numbers…I am sure that is is probably higher than for people who work outside the home.

So now I have to ask the question.

When did we trade lively lunch conversations in the office lunch room or the local diner for solitary lunch in front of the computer?

Obviously this topic is getting some attention…and guess what, I am not the only one asking the question. On Oprah.com, (we know that if Oprah is chatting about it then it is HOT!)  Tony Schwartz an author who is spearheading a project to get people out from behind their desk for their lunch BREAK. It is called Take Back your Lunch.  You can join others who want to take back their lunch and are starting a movement…a movement to reclaim our energy.

My friends Chris and Adrian over at Evolving Solutions are on the cutting edge of this lunch trend.

On July 9th I participated in their first Lunch on Us. Yes the Chief Love Officer and the Man behind the Curtain sat down with myself and  fellow entrepreneur Tanya Whittaker of  Med Equip Supplies to share a lively conversation. We talked about Social Media and where Business is heading, about having passion and purpose for what you do and most importantly how to keep it real and simple.

In moving forward I am joining the movement at Take Back your Lunch, I will also be recommending it to my clients who also need to get out from behind the computer for some fun and conversation….with real people. Or perhaps head out into nature and go for a walk, sit in the park and just be.

I would like to share a quick Video from the Lunch on Us where Chris and Adrian share some Business advice:

Managing your tasks not your time with Task Batching

Over the past seven years I have been researching, testing and tweaking strategies that I stumble across that can streamline how I work. As a busy mom of three with a hubby that travels half of the year, I have to cut corners wherever and whenever I can.

You know what these time hijackers are …

They are the activities that creep into every minute of your day if you allow it. We live in a world of instant gratification where Blackberries buzzing, text messages beeping and e-mails chiming feed into our obsession for constant on demand communication. Our days are filled with these noisy interruptions. They are the activities that only take a few minutes to do here and there but what really happens is a fragmented unproductive day with only fleeting moments of productivity.

Time is the only thing that we never seem to have enough of, especially in business. We forget how valuable this commodity is and by using a simple strategy like “Batching Tasks” you are guaranteed a few extra minutes in your day and a new found sense of control over your time.

The simple fact of the matter is you do have control! You can turn off all the machines at certain times of the day so you can get the important things completed…the things that require your ATTENTION, ENERGY and FOCUS.

“Batching Tasks “is quite simple….

You group tasks that require similar processes or have similar activities attached to the tasks and you do them at the same time.

Here are some real life examples of how you can use “Batching Tasks” to increase productivity and save Valuable Time for the important business building activities that require creativity, scheduled time and your undivided attention.

• Checking and replying to e-mail at certain times during the day….not every second of the day.
• Returning phone call from the day at a specified time during the day. A planned call takes 7 minutes and an unplanned call takes 12. If you make and receive dozens of calls each day and save 5 minutes on each call you have just saved a full hour to use on productive work. Harold Taylor, Taylor Time Consultants
• Combining tasks that take 5 minutes or less to do and scheduling a specific time to complete using your “5 Minute File” for storage.
• Bookkeeping and finances, yes it has to be done, pick a time batch it up and just Do it…
• Filling out paperwork
• Meetings and interviews
• Errand running

I am sure that there are many more examples but these are the most common. You will certainly find ways to batch your own tasks as you maneuver through your activity filled days.

Now the question is WHEN do I complete these batched tasks?

That is up to each person’s individual work preferences. If you are a morning person and you get your best work completed when you are fresh out of bed, then save the batched items for after this productive work time. In reality most of the batched tasks do not require the attention and focus that your important creative work requires. If the opposite is true for you and the latter part of the day is your best time then the opposite would work for you.

The important thing to remember here is that important work needs to be completed when you are at your creative best and the rest of what you do needs to get worked in and around that. However in reality most of us allow the interruptions to rule our days.

Here is a great quote I would like to leave you with, especially for those who are still under the misconception that multitasking works.

People who multitask are less efficient than those who focus on one project at a time. Time lost switching among tasks increases with the complexity of the tasks. Star-Teragram.com 3/1/03

I love how the internet makes the world very small and flat.  I would like to introduce you to Deb Bixler, someone new to my internet neighbourhood.

All WAHM’s in a home party plan business will appreciate the organization that Deb Bixler puts into a home party presentation.  I have recently become friends with this party plan guru, who is the queen of organization for the party plan industry…she was speaking my language even before I saw all the goods… Her party plan business training program is chock-full of presentation tips and organizational skills that will create a consistent cash flow in any home business. Speaking of Home Business, through my research it is becoming THE business model of the 21st century.

Party Plan Seminars

Deb used her home party plan business to retire from her corporate career in the catering industry.  In only 9 months of working from home, she was able to build a business and income to exceed her real world “job”.  As a successful direct seller, her party plan income was her total household income for five years and she went on to train and teach sales consultants in other companies.   Deb was recognized in the 2009 Direct Sales Women of Power and the 2009 Power 50 Awards as one of the most influential women in the global direct sales arena. Deb provides team training, seminars and workshops, and has also created an impressive online party plan resource center….filling a gap and a need in this growing industry…necessity is the mother of invention. 

Home Party Business Training Course

The training program that I am most impressed with is the Create A Cash Flow Show course.  Available in MP3 or real CDs, the home party-specific training program is a series of systems that, when implemented into your party plan presentation, result in a consistent show schedule, an impressive number of bookings and the ability to generate a viable income in any party plan business, no matter what the topic.  The training set is well-organized and contains real action steps that are simple to implement….I am most impressed with the variety in delivery methods….it really caters to the different types of learners.

Some of the tips covered in the Cash Flow Show program are:

• increased bookings
• more guests at every show (She recommends 16-21 guests!)
• reduced cancellations
• picking your best products to take to the show (You cannot take them all!)
• presentation word choices to increase sales

There is so much more that it is impossible to mention them all her…OK I could but the article would be really long .  The Cash Flow Show website is a vast resource for WAHM direct sellers, party plan or not.  There are hundreds of pages of well-organized and free information on bookings, presentation, recruiting, office organization and more.  I strongly recommend that all party plan WAHMs visit the direct sales marketing center and take advantage of the many party plan presentation tips that Deb offers. I am impressed, and I am sure that you will be too!

I cannot believe it is time already for Janet Barclay’s  Professional Organizer Blog Carnival. It is a monthly collection of blog posts submitted by Janet’s readers. All the posts are written by Professional Organizers. It is a collection of some of the best organizing tips and information available today. Please enjoy this months theme of Book Reviews.

Reading is a passion of mine…or should I say LEARNING and SHARING are a passion of mine. I feel like a giant sponge…always looking for something new, different and exciting to absorb. The tidbits I collect from reading are mixed together like an eclectic combination of ingredients….which I share with my clients who do not have the time or inclination to ever get to the reading.

My biggest challenge for this carnival was picking the book. However I have to share my latest favourite read from the man himself gary vay-ner-chuk .Gary is the wildly creative dude behind Wine Library TV , a wine video blog. His “in your face” style may not be for everyone…but for me he is an internet maverick and one if my mentors…even if he does not know it personally.

Why Now is the time to CRUSH IT! Cash in on your PASSION by Gary Vaynerchuk

This is Gary’s second book. His first was about wine…go figure. Anyhow this awesome 142 page read was published in 2009 after a great deal of internet buzz…Gary is the king of Social Media. Gary had us all salivating over this book long before it even went to print.

In the book Gary shares his story of success, a formula that works perfectly in an age where anyone with patience, big dreams and enough hustle can cash in on their PASSION.

I am sure you have heard the concept behind this book before, it has been in movies and cute quotes…you know them.

blah…blah…blah

My question has always been…Show me someone who has done it, built it and HAS cashed in on their PASSION?

CRUSH IT! by Gary Vaynerchuk delivered on all fronts.

If you have great passion for something and are ready to hustle and CRUSH IT! then follow Gary’s advice and take these steps….you will not regret it.

• Have a mantra; Gary’s is simple…Love your family, Work superhard and Live your passion.
• Channel your passion into a blog…get over the fear and just do it. Believe me, if I can anyone can.
• HUSTLE…not the dance, momentum is the name of the game. You can’t get anywhere sitting on the couch watching TV…sorry for breaking it to you…you can think about what you want all you want…but the truth is you need to WORK!
• Build your PERSONAL Brand…not some cold company brand. People buy from people they like and trust.
• Once you have accomplished the above, advertisers will come calling to give you some of their billions of dollars in ad revenue. Yes this does really happen! In the past month I have been approached by 4 separate companies to place ads on my blogs www.organizingconnection.com and www.elaineshannon.com. In addition to this blog ad revenue, youtube has offered to revenue share on one of my youtube videos that has over 11500 views…I am saying cha ching!
• Gary shares all his Social Networking Secrets…every step to cash in on your passion. Again…you need to hustle and it can work.
• And finally…how to build legacy, which is greater than currency and the mortar to a successful, lasting brand and business.

I LOVE Gary…not in a stalking way, but in a karmic giving back kind of way….he is so generous that at the end of the book he shares 5 business ideas that he won’t ever get to but has laid them out for the reader who has the HUSTLE to make it happen.  I am working on one of them and I have the hustle goods to deliver.

This books is a 2 thumbs up for me, I hope you enjoy it also.

You can find this book on amazon, CHECK IT OUT NOW!

Crush It!: Why NOW Is the Time to Cash In on Your Passion

The latest addition to my writing credits is with the St Croix Courier right here in Charlotte County New Brunswick. I have been asked to share some business organizing tips and here is the June 22nd article….enjoy!

Do you remember the first time you used e-mail? It was probably around 1996 and the thought was that e-mail would replace paper. Here we are 14 years later and we still have lots of paper and a monster some people call e-mail.

The e-mail issue started so innocently. Everyone got an address where mail could be sent and retrieved instantly…how efficient, especially for business. This new system of mail was going to save valuable time and money. However, we were not given a how-to manual with this shiny new system.  Over the past several years this has become a monster that consumes our time and has added a financial burden to the companies that have to store and manage all of that saved virtual information.

Industry analysts at IDC estimate that 60% of business-critical information is stored within corporate messaging systems, up from 33% in 1999. All of this is a bottom line expense for business.

If used properly e-mail is an effective, inexpensive, time saving way to communicate. However, much like paper clutter, e-mail clutter can paralyze any office if not dealt with properly. Use e-mail for its intended purpose, as a form of communication, and spend your valuable time working on your business not tied to your e-mail.

Here are some strategies for receiving e-mail effectively:

• Check your e-mail at specific times of the day and let people know what your policies are for answering e-mail. Communicate what you want.
• Respond to e-mail the next day. This gives you a closed list where you know how many e-mails you have to deal with.
• Turn off the annoying e-mail alerts…this is so distracting.
• Clear out the old e-mail clutter by sorting by subject line and sender and delete old mail…be honest why are you keeping e-mails in your in box that are older than 6 months.
• Any e-mail worth saving needs to be filed in an appropriate folder or document for retrieval at a later date.
• Use folders for current projects
• Set up alerts and rules to filter unimportant or unwanted e-mails to your junk box
• Refrain from printing e-mails, save to documents.
• Last thoughts…Read, Respond and then file it.

As a sender of e-mails here are some things to ponder before you hit the send button;

• Do other people need to know this information or am I sharing just because?
• Does my subject line summarize what the e-mail is about?
• Did you start the e-mail with the meat and not the potatoes?
• Do you have separate messages in separate e-mails? It makes communication on specific subjects easier to find.
• Be specific in your e-mail, if you want the receiver to do something, be clear.
• Would you let your grandmother read the e-mail or your boss or client? If not don’t send it.

At the end of the day, if you want to stop receiving too many e-mails then stop sending too many. If what you have to share is that important, make a call or book an appointment and communicate old school style. If it is not that important then send the e-mail and be patient with the response.

Here is the most recent article for a new column I am writing for the St Croix Courier.

Whether you are managing and running a home or a business, paper management seems to be a problem with most people.

Is your idea of paper storage a pile of bags filled with bills, receipts and bank statements? Or are you using a paper management system that is the envy of all who know you? If you answered yes to the first question please read on, you need this information. If you answered yes to the second question, pat yourself on the back…I am sure that you are already enjoying the money you received from your income tax  return and have your papers in order for the accountant for tax filing next year.

From an organization standpoint your accountant’s main job is to make the most of tax laws so you can save money. By having all of your tax information organized you are not wasting your advisor’s valuable time and your money sorting and organizing your paper.

The best time to prepare for taxes is the beginning of each year.

With tax season just behind us you probably have a good feel for what you need to do next year to be better prepared. For anyone who is just getting at it the best time is the present.

Excellent paper management will help you to organize your home office or your business.  It will also keep you within legal and compliance requirements.

Set up a paper management system that works with your space and daily requirements.

A business owner would have more paper than a homeowner so keep that in mind when creating your system.

• Keep the day to day paper in your office, as well as the paper for the most recent year.
• Everything else can be labeled and put in envelopes or bankers boxes and stored in another location.
• Keep a good diary system so when the retention period for documents expires you can dispose of it, instead of it taking up valuable storage space. Follow Revenue Canada’s advise for retention of paperwork and you can free up valuable space by purging outdated information. Make sure to shred those documents that you are getting rid of; identity theft is nothing to laugh at.

Some suggestions for a paper management system:

-          Binder with plastic sleeves for each category, this is portable, lightweight and can be kept anywhere

-          Desk topper file organizer that can be kept on the kitchen counter top.

-          Storage tote with hanging folders, doubles as a portable office(see the product of the month below)

-          Filing cabinets with hanging files

Now that you have a system for the paper, take an afternoon and sort it. Gather all of the paper in to one space and deal with each item as it comes up. Use the principle of the three D’s.

1. D-estroy it. By destroying we mean send it to recycling or shred it.
2. D-eal with it. Give the item a home. Find a place where it makes sense to have this item. Does it need to be actioned or diarized for a future date?
3. D-eligate it. Is it your responsibility to deal with this item? If it isn’t then pass it on to its rightful owner.

Remember to:

- Open mail daily and shred all garbage mail, file or task what is remaining immediately

- File everything flat not folded, it takes up less space

- Don’t leave the paperwork too long, it piles up quickly. Ten or 15 minutes every day is better than hours at a time once a month.

By organizing your paperwork today you will save money, time and definitely reduce stress when it comes to filing your income tax next year.

A few weeks ago the KV Style magazine, the paper that I write a column for, asked if they could share some TIDBITS about me. I am always open when it comes to sharing information that allows my readers to feel more connected to me.  In business ultimately people buy from people they like and people they trust.

Here is the article or if you prefer to read the online version check it out here.

One of KV Style’s new columnists is a professional organizer who has lived in Rothesay for 13 years. Married to Jamie (who she met on a blind date), they have three children, now 14, 12 and 10. She likes to read and learn, walk the area’s beautiful streets, cook and entertain, have coffee with friends and play board games.

• I am reading… The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.
• Someone who makes me laugh is … my nine-year-old.
• At home I cook … gourmet meals.
• My first job was … printing T-Shirts at Crazy Tops in Parkway Mall.
• A person I admire is … I would have to say my children; they are my teachers.
• My secret skill is … I have my first degree in Reiki.
• I aspire to … help families to simplify their lives.
• The best invention ever is … The Dymo label Maker.
• My favorite toy as a child was … an Easy Bake Oven.
• The best part of what I do for a living is …help people to take charge and get rid of what’s holding them back.
• I wish I had …the cure for cancer.
• My favorite vacation spot is … with my family any place we can get in a canoe.
• If I could invite three people to dinner, alive or dead, they would be … Jesus, Oprah and Madonna.
• If I could have a super power, it would be … to fly.
• My favorite things about the Kennebecasis Valley are … the beauty of the whole area from the river to the parks, the people and the strong sense of community.

How about sharing a bit about yourself? I would love to know more about YOU.