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I've never really been a goal-setter, but I love a good process cycle. - inquire, design, life, consumption - you name it, I like it. Here's the beauty of a process - working through one can get you to your goal (the one you don't think you have). Want to build a house? There's a process for that. Want to write a book? Process for that too. Cleaning up your house? Process! So thinking of this - here's an example of why goals sometimes fail.
I've been there too. I did something about it. Will you? Here's a place to start. Sign up for this FREE webinar! 3 Solutions for Common Teacher Organization Mistakes 
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Ok, yesterday was #ClearOffYourDesk Day - but just have a look at this small disaster zone. This is my little workspace. Ooops!  Somehow I managed to collect mail, sunglasses, gum, papers, a coin container - and don't get me started on that full cup of pens! Point is - most of these things get in my way when I'm trying to work. So why I do let them stay in my workspace? There are other places to put them.
If this looks kind of like your space, how you feel when you look at the mess. Everyday we go to a work space - and we shouldn't feel stressed just thinking about it! I used get really stressed all the stuff shoved in cupboards on all the shelves in my classroom. I had to make a change. So I did. But it took time. I was tired of asking myself - why is this crap in here! Let's talk about how to make a change. Consistently. So you don't get stuck asking yourself the same question I did. I don't want to think about my workspace or see it and feel annoyed because I can't navigate it, do you? Leave me some comments. Sign up for this FREE webinar! 3 Solutions for Common Teacher Organization Mistakes Subscribe to this blog and be entered to win this month's book draw or surprise giveaway! Sign up for a FREE teacher coaching consultation call to sort out your professional needs. App endorsements are unpaid. Photos are free from Unsplash or my camera roll.
When I think of to-do lists, a lot of things come to mind.
A planning book, a calendar, post-its, colored pens, notes pages, notebooks, a random sheet of paper, an email to self, reminder pings... That's a lot of things just for a list of to-do's for a 10-12 hour period, and a lot of places the same things get written. Will we have this same fear of forgetting something if we just streamline and simplify our to-do systems? So let's think about this. What do you really need to do to get yourself sorted out when writing your to-do list and actually getting the list finished by the end of the day? My friend Erin has been contemplating this. She is in the midst of changing how she sets up and works through her to-do list. Erin works full-time, spouses, and moms her toddler so she has a lot going on. She was thinking about all the things - chores, social media posting, sleep, personal projects, work meetings - and more! Sound familiar? A good starting point Erin chose was to block the days and times she planned to work late, start late, or vice verse. That was important to her yet, when I looked at her lists of all the things, embedded in the middle of her long list was her main goal ---- to get more sleep! Awesome! Self-care! When I saw that, I reminded her that her priority/goal (sleep) needed to be scheduled in next and was her non-negotiable. Her must do. Erin knows what she needs to function at her best. She needs sleep! (Are you listening?!) A next step would be to chunk tasks, then plan everything else around her goal. If you are planning to do something like this, I share some strategies about chunking time in the Taking Control of Your To-Do List toolkit. These help me a lot! I didn't make them up, but I morphed them from masters of focus like Nir Eyal and Michael Hyatt. I've done is spent lots of time thinking about priorities and how I operate as a worker so that I can do what needs to be done on time, whether I am working on my own timeline or someone else's - and that means chunking my time. 
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Sign up for a FREE teacher coaching consultation call to sort out your professional needs. App endorsements are unpaid. Photos are free from Unsplash.
Want to get deeper into teaching space organization?
Secure your space before the this goes to all my social media channels! Special offer for my course, From Cluttered to Calm: A 6-Step Process to Organizing Your Teaching Spaces ​ OFFER CLOSES TO BLOG READERS JAN 15th @9PM ET.
Last week I introduced a set of simple Organizer Identity cards, which can shed a teeny bit of light into who we may be as organizers... or not so much. If you didn't grab them last week, you can still get them in the link above.
This week I wanted to look at one identity in particular, because I think many of us can relate to it. The "Tidy-on-Top" Identity. Pretty self-explanatory! This person, is just this. The desk, table or work space is tidy and neat on the surface. It's a great stepping to actually getting organized. But attempt also creates this illusion or surface level organization that can provide a short burst of satisfaction! On the flip side ... we avoid opening the drawers or cupboards, and warn others before they peek inside! Sound familiar? I spent years being this kind of "organized" and finally just couldn't take the strategy I had to have in place just to open a cupboard door anymore! We all having tipping points, and they can be helpful. But why do we wait until we can't take the clutter in the drawers anymore? I can't pinpoint the exact moment I didn't want to open messy cupboards anymore, but I do know it was a process that took some time to think through. It did take some time to think through and plan the attack, and I just knew that I had to change my identity as an organizer if I didn't want to spend my time rubbing my forehead and rubbing my eyes (those are my go-to frustration moves). It was also important for me to recognize that this cupboard clutter made me a bit anxious when I needed to get something out during class! It was impacting the things I was bringing out for students because it was too much of a hassle! Hello - where were my priorities! Over the years my Organizer Identity has shifted and become more refined, and I've found or created systems that work for me. I'd love to hear from you in the comments, in an email, or on the Facebook group, Organizing Teaching Spaces!
Subscribe to this blog and be entered to win this month's book draw or surprise giveaway!
Sign up for a FREE teacher coaching consultation call to sort out your professional needs. App endorsements are unpaid. Photos are free from Unsplash.
Want to get deeper into teaching space organization?
Secure your space before the this goes to all my social media channels! Special offer for my course, From Cluttered to Calm: A 6-Step Process to Organizing Your Teaching Spaces ​ OFFER CLOSES TO BLOG READERS JAN 15th @9PM ET.
For so many events we participate in, whether it's starting a new job or participating in a professional learning workshop, we often work on some kind of strengths-finder or skill-assessment.
Well, I'm sure you know this isn't different when we talk about organization styles. So I want to know.... who are you? Click here to get a simple set of Organizer Identity categories. Once you get the categories, choose the one that best fits you most of time. The titles are self explanatory, but detailed descriptions are coming, so stay tuned! Then hop over the the Organizing Teaching Spaces Facebook Group, and share WHO YOU ARE! Let's see how many people we can group together! 
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Sign up for a FREE teacher coaching consultation call to sort out your professional needs. Take Control of Your To-Do List. Get the toolkit. App endorsements are unpaid. Photos are free from Unsplash. Whether you are teaching at home, in your classroom, or do both, this is the time of year that new things will likely pop up in all your spaces. You may start taking out decor, or accepting little gifts from friends and family, and maybe colleagues and students. Gifts are a kind gesture and appreciating them is essential. The holidays likely means getting old old stuff out AND accumulating new stuff. In this past week's #EdCoachCB Twitter chat, we talked about here adding a few things in our spaces, and how we can manage the old with the new. Here are a few highlights from our chat. Perhaps you will draw some inspiration for managing this. Q2: How do you make space for new things? Krista stated: "A2: This year, I put away all the "usual" things around the house and put up holiday things. When I switch back, I'll put more effort into determining what is adding value and what is just "stuff." (I am known to do sweeps of the house and toss unnecessary stuff." Lisa F said: A2: in the past I would add these new things to my collection of stuff (unless replacing)... this year I'm going to try to start a new tradition - in with new means out with something old (feeling really good of my movement toward minimalism)" Q3: What is one thing you can you can part with to make space for a new thing? Erin stated: "A3: I am determined to clean out my closet to make more room for other things...I work from home. I don't need all the clothes." Michele said: "A3: [Daughter] has a not-so subtle way of helping me figure that out. I swear she could have her own show." (Assistants are always helpful!) And finally, Q4 What are you planning to do over the break to ensure you keep a sense of organization? Jen O said: "A4: A break is when I manage to reestablish a sense of organization! There are some piles that have grown throughout the fall that I’ll finally sort through and it will restore some crucial space for me." This chat was a good one for this time of year. Let's keep the vision of managing our spaces while we have a little time to do so.  Subscribe to this blog and be entered to win this month's book draw or surprise giveaway!
Let's work together. Sign up for a FREE teacher coaching consultation call! Need help with your To-Do list? Here's a toolkit to take control of it, so it doesn't control you. App endorsements are unpaid. Photos are free from Unsplash. Even the most organized teachers have their moments and likely have (hidden) spaces that may not be as organized as they wished they were. It's just part of being human. I consider myself a pretty organized person, having tried, chosen, and maintained particular systems in my classroom and home. I do this because I know they keep me on top of the things in my spaces. But, at this time of year, we are all beyond tired and stressed. We can tend to let many things slide - including our organization systems and good habits - and not think twice about it. Here are three things to consider when you feel the slide. Consider why you shouldn't let your organization systems get ruffled as you move into the holiday (or hibernation) season: 1. You likely already have a bunch of good habits established for putting things away in the right places. Keep those good habits! If you let those habits slide, you will have to retrain yourself, and you already trained! 2. When one thing slides, it's easy for another area to become lax. Be careful of this because before you know it, everything will end up on top of your desk rather than back where it belongs. 3. Delaying the restart of your system or starting a new one to January 1st also delays your efficiency and sense of satisfaction. So why wait? I know you are tired. I've been there. But taking the 10-15 minutes to sort those papers or google drive docs will be done, and you won't have to do it later. AND - you won't keep putting it off because it will be done! This time of year is tough. Taking a few minutes each day to maintain your organization will save you time, energy, angst, annoyance, and all the other frustrations in the long run. Do yourself a favor now and be one those people who stays organized most of the time.  Subscribe to this blog and be entered to win this month's book draw or giveaway (sometimes there are surprises).
Learn more about services offered. Sign up for a FREE teacher coaching consultation call. Need help with your To-Do list? Here's a toolkit to take control of it, so it doesn't control you. App endorsements are unpaid. Photos are free from Unsplash. When you think of your own most fun learning experiences, what do you remember? As a young student, I remember fun in learning mean my friends and I were talking and laughing, reading books and talking about them, drawing using smelly Mr, Sketch markers, and blanks sheets of paper - creating with a few simple things. As an adult learner, not much has changed expect now the learning includes the deep discussions and laughter, talking about books, and writing - on the laptop and by hand with a particular book and a set of pens. Can we think for a moment how the fun in learning doesn't really come from the things we hold in our hands but the people we are with and the sharing of ideas? During a season of giving, what fun or gift can you give your learners that is going to add the greatest value? A little comment in the chat box telling them how much you appreciate their thoughts? A wink to let them know you get their joke? A link to an e-book that you know they would love to read? A wish for good health and happiness over the holidays? Simple gestures sometimes get forgotten, thinking they are not enough. But the sharing of a thoughtful appreciation or something to read or listen to can have a profound impact on someone.  Subscribe to this blog and be entered to win this month's book draw or giveaway (sometimes there are surprises).
Learn more about services offered. Sign up for a FREE teacher coaching consultation call. Need help with your To-Do list? Here's a toolkit to take control of it, so it doesn't control you. App endorsements are unpaid. Photos are free from Unsplash. Last week I wrote about slowing down. Slowing down to focus. I hope you all have been able to do that this week. This week I am keeping the blog simple. This week I hope you think about you. This week, I hope you thank yourself for all the goodness you put out into the world. I hope you thank yourself for putting your physical and mental health on the line for others. I hope you thank yourself for educating students and working with your teams in the best way you can. I hope you thank yourself for keeping your close friends and family safe, and for being even more thoughtful than you already are. I hope you thank yourself for being you. There is no one else like you.  Subscribe to this blog and be entered to win this month's book draw or giveaway (sometimes there are surprises).
Learn more about services offered. Sign up for a FREE teacher coaching consultation call. Need help with your To-Do list? Here's a toolkit to take control of it, so it doesn't control you. App endorsements are unpaid. Photos are free from Unsplash. Teaching life means we are in a state of constant movement. Fast movement. All the time. Things are urgent. Always urgent. We rush around, flitting through stacks of books, papers, reports, articles, pots-its, digging through packed cupboards, quickly trying to find something we think we need to teach, or give to a parent or admin. This continuous rushing around can negatively impact our effectiveness and shift our focus away from our students. We let all the "emergencies" or urgent things distract us from our students. We feel like this is inevitable and this feeling makes us think that by not filling in paperwork, writing that report, or getting those lessons written just right, that we are less than the best teacher we know we are. It way easier for us to get wound up than it is to slow down and unwind - but the good news is that we can do this. We can refocus on our students AND tend to the other things - but we can only do that if we intentionally to tell ourselves to SLOW DOWN, even just a little.
Slowing down definitely does not mean to stop doing what you need to do. It just means being more intentional about your use of time and thinking about your priorities.  Read the Achieve the Core post, "Refocusing on Your Learners" here.
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