Giving thanks …
I started this series with my thanks for all I have learned, but I also need to give thanks for some things I already knew. I started my business as a professional organizer. Because I do know how to be organized. After running a business and then entering the corporate world, I needed to develop systems that would help me get my job done, faster. As a corporate event planner and public information officer for non-profits, I was always struggling to meet deadlines. I finally developed a system that worked for me. My system was easy, I scheduled backwards. I had a “tickle” file on my desk and maintained it daily! This may not work for everyone, but it worked for me! When I left that industry and entered the retail world, those systems didn’t work anymore. In retail, things change daily! So you just had to know where you were every day and prioritize. I soon realized that being organized was different in each environment. And as my jobs changed, the systems adapted so that I could continue to be organized.
When I started my business, I chose the systems that worked best for me. But now I am thankful for all of the technology that makes being organized easier. I am also thankful for retailers like Ikea and the Container Store, my favorite go-to places. And as I have mentioned in previous blog posts, paints that make walls chalkboards, dry erase and even magnetic! The use of Neat Receipts helps eliminate most of the paper clutter. My own password system has eliminated the post it notes all over my keyboard.
And while I appreciate all of these things, I am most thankful when I help others with these tasks. I like learning about what others do and then helping them come up with their own systems. The time saved by being organized helps all of us to be more productive. And as this year ends, it’s a great time to think about what systems would help all of us to be more productive in the new year.