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I'm feeling pretty proud of myself for accomplishing all the things on my to-do list the last week and a half, minus one... because there will always be one - and I do know why that one wasn't tended to. It's because it isn't a priority yet, so I ended up removing it from my list and pushing it ahead in my calendar to a time when I know I will tend to it. Anyway, back to this burst of accomplishing tasks.... I'm really proud of being productive with work things AND getting in some down time. How was this happening? I had gotten myself to a new level of productive... and it's still going strong into this week. What IS UP! Of course I had to evaluate my attitudes and actions so I could try to figure this out - this new sense of motivation and focus. Clearly I'm getting some dopamine rushes! Here's what I think has contributed to this ultra-productive me this last couple of weeks. So here it is... I DO ONE THING AT A TIME. There is a ton of research telling us that it is not possible to multi-task. Our brains will not truly attend to more than one cognitive task. It's just not possible. So I stopped pretending like that's a thing that I can do. I've found some focus by seriously considering this research in my day's work, and by taking my own advice (that I know is borrowed from research as well). I've sorted and chunked my tasks, and literally done one. at. a. time. All those little things have been checked off and even the medium-commitment tasks have been completed from start to finish. I usually squirrel around, as many of us may do with so many to-do's on the list, but I had to change something to increase my efficiency. So I did. Will you? 
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As you know, I'm all about setting spaces, doing more with less, and focusing on meaning rather than things. These are ideas that I love talking about with my friends and colleagues and I am so excited that some of these awesome people are open to me sharing with you. We can learn so much about each other and from each other as we set up spaces for work time. This week we are going to visit the space of the Zen Teacher himself, Dan Tricarico! I had the privilege of chatting with Dan a couple of weeks ago on his podcast, "The Zen Professional Moment" regarding space and how we use it, so of course I asked him if we could have a peek into his workspaces as a successful high school teacher and educational consultant. Me: How do you feel in your workspace? What creates this feeling? D: "Let’s start with my classroom: I’ve been in the same classroom for 30 years, so it’s really my home away from home. Overall I feel very comfortable and safe there. But being in the same space for that long certainly has some pros and cons. It’s super easy, for example, to let clutter accumulate and easy to hang on to things that you’ve had for years. While I do try to change things up, I often tell my students that there are things on my classroom walls that are older than they are. It is important, though, to personalize things for your own emotional comfort and to express who you are and I have many artifacts and keepsakes on my desk and throughout the classroom, everything from photographs I’ve taken, pictures my daughters drew when they were kids, and pictures of my former students. These always make me smile and help me know I’m “home.” About two years ago, though, I made a conscious decision to straighten up my desk every day before I leave. Takes less than ten minutes. And in the morning I come in and can face the day with a clean and organized space. Before I started that ritual, I would come in and sit down among the flotsam and jetsam from the previous day—papers, books, and all manner of detritus—strewn about my desk. I didn’t realize it at the time, but it made me very anxious and it wasn’t a good head space. My current reality is MUCH nicer and I’m sure my students appreciate it." Me: You spend a lot of time in your home work space - teaching, writing, podcasting etc. How is your space set up to maximize its efficiency when you have all these different things to do? D: "I’ll tell you about one key choice I made that maximized my efficiency: I’ve been teaching from home for over a year now and I just moved into a new apartment. In the old place, I was using the kitchen table to do my Zoom class calls (like most families, we each had our own spots for our calls). We had these old wooden chairs that were very hard to sit on. I ended up putting throw pillows down to sit on because on some days I was sitting there for hours. But when I moved into the new apartment and had to buy a new dining room table, I was specifically on the lookout for a table with soft chairs and that’s what I have now because I knew it would be doubling as my desk. And that's what I have now and it's been fantastic. I do have a second room for when my daughters come over to visit and they often have to do their own college classes online so I did actually get them a desk. So that's where I do my podcasting because when my daughters aren't here I pretend it's a recording studio and I'm Tim Ferriss or Marc Maron. :) " Me: As someone who also seeks to simplify and find Zen, what advice would you give to someone setting up a new work area? Dan: "Some thoughts: 1. You don’t need all the things right off the bat. 2. You don’t need all the things at all. 3. After setting up, keep an eye on what you use. If you find that you don’t use it, get rid of it. For example, I had the same inbox with the same five papers in it on my desk for probably a decade. Why? For what? It just became part of my desk reality and I stopped noticing it. When I finally threw it away, I facepalmed like “Why didn’t I do that, I don’t know, like maybe some time during the Clinton Administration? So now I keep my eyes open." I love these tidbits Dan has shared with us! Being thoughtful about our spaces is really essential for so many reasons. Let's be intentional about what we put in them.
What happens when you have too much on your mind? Do you feel irritated? Do you freeze? Are you forgetful? For me ... I freeze and I start dropping my plates. This week I had a real issue with my calendar. Time zones are a challenge on any given day, but this week I couldn't get my days or dates straight - causing me to forget my own Twitter chat - something I look forward each month! When this omission was brought to my attention, I knew I had to change something. So I took my own advice. I had a look at how I planned my day - made sure the dates were correct - then I chunked the little tasks together. Not all of them, because I knew that this would cause more plates to drop! So I spread them out for the rest of the week. Thinking about their importance for when they should be done. Today seemed to be a smoother day, but still didn't quite get my list completed, so before I close things down for the night, I'll revisit those few things and re-prioritize again. This makes me confident that I will have those things off my list by the end of the week.  Need help with your to-do's? Get a toolkit here to get control of that list!
Pssst! We've got access to another successful educational consultant's space this week! Allie Rodman, founder of The Learning Loop, brings us into her home office! She gives us some of her strategies for staying organized whether she's broadcasting to educators from home, or she's traveling and presenting at schools! ME: You have a dedicated office space at home- describe how you feel in that space and why you set it up the way you did. A: I have only had my own office for the past year and half. Prior to that, my desk was situated in the middle of our living room, and I utilized co-working spaces as needed. When I had the opportunity to setup my own space, I spent a lot of time thinking it through. I have windows on three sides which lets in lots of natural sunlight, but also allow me to look out at our garden and kids playing in the side yard even when I am working. What many of my clients and partners do not know is that our kids are often smiling or making silly faces at me through the off-camera windows when I am presenting live, and I would not trade those moments for the world. Collaboration and connection are extremely important to me – even when we are in virtual spaces – so I have been intentional about setting up lights, screens, and microphones that enable me to communicate clearly and build strong and lasting connections through screens. I really miss handshakes, fist bumps, and hugs though. A fair amount of my office space is currently taken up by books. I am slowly transitioning these to my Kindle to open things up a bit and minimize clutter. Finally, I was careful to include a large cozy chair – perfect for writing when I want to get away from my desk, cuddling up with a good book and cup of tea on a Sunday morning, or providing an inviting space for our kids to come in and chat or do homework. Our dog, Scout, is also a big fan and spends many hours there.  ME: Did you have a similar system / set up as a school admin when you had an office in the school? Give some comparisons. A: I have found it important – in all my office spaces – to set them up as “plug and play.” I do not want to waste time plugging in chargers and setting up a bunch of peripherals. I want to sit down and get right to work. Similarly, I want to walk away at the end of the day without lots to pack up. I purchase extra chargers and have them plugged in and ready to go along with wireless keyboards and mice already paired. If possible, I keep headphones, a coffee mug, blue light glasses, pens, highlighters, scissors, and post-its in each office space as well. My goal is to minimize as much friction as possible when it comes to tackling my action plan. ME: Do you work in any other areas of your house? Why or why not? A: I work a fair amount in airports, in-flight, and in hotels to maximize this “dead” time and reduce my volume of work when I am home. At home, I try to set clear boundaries between my blocks of professional and personal time even if the time blocks are not concurrent. As a result, 90% of my work is completed in my office. There are two exceptions: (1) When I have writer’s block, I will relocate to our living room couch with a lap desk, and (2) When the weather allows, I journal each morning on our back patio. ME: Your kids have watched you work from home this year. What structures/space set-ups have they learned from you? A: My husband, Doug, and I are self-proclaimed tech geeks so our kids have always gotten to see that side of us, but it amplified this past year as we experimented with new tech equipment, software, and facilitation approaches. Our kids were often the ones crawling around on the floor helping us setup and run AV checks. They have slowly learned that “working” does not only mean one is actively presenting, in a meeting, or on a phone call. Our kids did not always get to see my creation and production processes in the way they do now, and I have seen that have an impact on their own work products. It is not uncommon for me to find post-its on the fridge or back door when they don’t want to forget items for school. We use "Todoist" [on organizer app] as a family for everything from chore lists, to packing lists, to home improvement projects. Our daughter has tried multiple planners, including kid versions of the ones she has seen me use, but is still searching for one that is the best match for her. ME: Do you follow similar routines, structures and set-ups when you travel? How do you set up a space on the road - and will you change your set up as you start heading back out? A: I keep a carry-on suitcase always half-packed with toiletries, makeup, chargers, nondescript jewelry, and a laundry bag. This allows me to quickly add clothes and shoes and get going with minimal prep. My work backpack is similarly half-packed with sunglasses, hand sanitizer, chapstick, adaptors, pens, portable charger, and noise-cancelling earbuds. When I arrive at a hotel, I have a regimented routine of what gets unpacked and where to allow for the quickest morning prep and pack up. As I start heading back out, I am continuing to tweak how much I pack, finding the right balance between being fully prepared should I get stuck somewhere and overpacking. I am also even more cognizant of high contact points, and wipes are now a regular item on my packing list.
For high-level productivity tips, find Allie on Twitter @thelearningloop
You likely know by now that I'm all about work spaces, focus, efficiency and simplicity, and that I sometimes share photos of my own changing spaces... ....but this week we are looking into someone else's space! . Do you know how excited I was when I asked my dear friend, uber successful education consultant and owner of igniteyourS.H.I.N.E.®, LaVonna Roth, to share her behind-the-scenes work space with not just me - but - all of you too??? I knew LaVonna set up a new home office not so long ago and had seem and heard about it, but I needed to know more about her workspaces and habits! So I asked her a few questions! Me: Your new-ish office space... describe how you feel in that space and why you set it up that way. L: I'm very big on comfort, but also having a business-like setting, so I wanted it to be a clean, crisp, classy, yet have the comfort of snuggling up in there and reading a book or having some creative time. My desk is cleaned off and I have a couple of plants, a real one and fake one, and a couple of things that inspire me. Behind me, I have a credenza with bins. While the bins are to store things, at the end of the day if I need clean off my desk [I put things in the bins] so I can come in the morning and have a fresh feel. I also store my microphone, my light in there, my lume cube, and the stand my laptop goes on. In the corner, it overlooks the window. That's where I start my mornings off with coffee and reading, and sometimes I do hypnotherapy or meditation of some kind. There's a fluffy beanbag, a huge one with pillows and blanket that bring me comfort. I so look forward to going there in the morning. It's the highlight of my day In the other corner is where I have my easel where I do a lot of my thinking and brainstorming. I keep it to flip back and look at ideas. Straight across from my desk is a picture of a lion, a huge lion, it's there to remind me that when I have doubt or i lack courage, a fear that sets in, because we all have that, it's a reminder for me to have strength. And below that is a fireplace that I have on and adds another layer of comfort. I have a comfortable desk chair and a standup desk so I can adjust the height for presentations. 
Me: You had another office but moved into a different room at home. Tell us about that. L: When we moved into a smaller condo, my daughter had the other bedroom so I didn't really have a place to go to work, so I started going to WeWork. When CoVid hit, I couldn't go there anymore. But then when my daughter moved out, I took over her space. There is great value in being able to close the door and step away from distractions - things like - oh! I need to do those dishes! When the door is closed, I don't get interrupted because people know I'm in work-mode or think-mode. Me: Every once in a while, you head off to a completely separate location to work. What value does this create for you? Why is this a must-do for you? L: It allows me to step away from everything. I feel like it's a fresh start, a fresh perspective.There's research behind creativity and being somewhere fresh and new. It also allows me time for me. I usually go for a business retreat, but I do allow myself to do the things I need to do for me, like I'll read something I want or I watch a show,.The places I choose have to be in nature. Nature calms me, it inspires me. It's usually a walkable place so I can walk to somewhere like a restaurant. But sometimes do I just grab groceries and cook for myself. It's a must-do for me because I know what comes from it. I remember being frustrated before the first time I went away. I said - I need to go away and create this framework so my sister came with me - it was when I wrote my first book. I was in a major crunch with the deadline - I think best last minute. We got a place out in the country, the downstairs of a house on a hill. It had a chicken coop, and the lady upstairs would drop fresh baked goods and fresh eggs in the morning. I was able to just pound things out and my sister would go through and edit it for me. That's when I was I realized that focus time for essential. I can work anytime I need to, until 2am or I can get up at 5am. Whatever I need Me: Do you follow similar routines or structures when you're away or do you pre-plan? L: I go with a list that's overzealous. I take all my books and things I want to do and never get through it. I have a long list - so next time what I'm going to change is that I'll prioritize the order. I'll make my wish list of what I intend to do and then start with the biggest priority before moving on to the next thing. Last time I didn't do that and I didn't finish things I wanted to finish. I don't pre-plan but I have projects that I want to work on. I don't like to structure my time to a T. The danger for me is that I can be a squirrel - oh I need to do this, I need to wash the those dishes! I need to make a PD on this! I also unplug My team knows this. Notifications get turned off and when I'm zoning in my team and family know that I may not respond to them right away. When it comes to creativity - it's like writer's block - you need to be in the flow. I do my best work at the last minute which I don't necessarily like, but I do allow myself flexibility - if I need to wait until I feel creative - which is usually in the mornings - I'll walk or something else instead, but I do use up all my time. Are you inspired to head off to the woods and get your work done now, or make your space more cozy? I know I am!
It is always insightful to hear about the work habits, routines and spaces of successful people! Thank you, LaVonna, for taking us all into your cozy workspace and for giving us a behind-the-scenes look into some of your work routines! Want to learn more from LaVonna? Here are her links! @LaVonnaRoth on Twitter #igniteyourSHINE #primetoSHINE https://www.igniteyourshine.com/ https://www.instagram.com/lavonnaroth/ https://www.instagram.com/igniteyourshinenow/ What's the first thought you have when you are about to set up a new work space?
For me, the first thought I have about a space set-up is not about the things needed to fill the space - and here I choose these words "fill the space" deliberately. My first thoughts are generally these three questions which help me make initial decisions in setting up. How do I want to feel in this space? We cannot dismiss the emotional responses we can experience in or to spaces. In my work spaces, I need to feel comfortable and calm. There are times when I need to feel more energized and motivated like in a classroom or when conducting a webinar. How do I need to function? Sometimes I need just 15-20 minutes for quick tasks like answering emails or setting up social media posts. Sometimes I need 30-60 minutes to focus on writing or planning something Other times, I need two or three hours of pretty focused time to learn or complete a larger task. These are my normal function times during the day. What will make me feel and function this way? Setting up to evoke a feeling of calm comes down to a couple of key things. One of them is thinking about colors. I keep colors basic such a black, blue or darker colors. Choosing the direction in which I face to get work done is also important, more than I realized. Sometimes I need to face wall to tune into what I'm doing, so I'm not looking out the window or at other things. I also don't keep much on the table or desk except my planner and some pens, or if I need my ring light and headphones I'll have those. The space does not hold much because that creates annoyance for me. Perhaps when you set up your new area, or redesign your current one, you will consider these questions to help you get what you need from your work space. To say I've been excited to move is a very big understatement. Let me give you a bit of context... It was one year ago this week that I was supposed to move from Singapore to LA... but then COVID and all the things that it brought down, brought that plan down too. Yet through this last year, through COVID2020, I stayed in 6 different apartments or condos because of changes in plans, downsizing life and figuring out new spots to settle. Fast forward some months and we decided on the Big Island of Hawai'i. I arrived here in October and didn't plan on leaving. Yesterday we moved into our house. House.... We don't usually do houses but this one spoke to us. It's been hard to focus the last couple of weeks as I have been just letting the existing little work space slowly fall apart because I knew I would be starting with a clean slate. A blank canvas. We are sticking to our true selves and will be keeping it minimal, but not as minimal as we have been living- which has basically been out of a couple of suitcases for the past year! We will now both have room for dedicated work spaces. We haven't lived in a space conducive to this for quite some time, and it's been a struggle especially with both of us at home working! So moving forward, I'm looking forward to sharing the set-up with you! Lots of thoughts, questions, and images coming soon!  If you purchase a new electronic device or appliance and don't know how to use it, what do you do? How about when you are lost? How do you get un-lost? What about when you are on vacation and you want to go on a.tour? When you are trying to learn something new, what do you do then? Or when you need some new strategies to implement something, what do you do then? We get a guide, don't we? All kinds of guides! We use guides all the time to learn how to operate the new phone, to find our way in a new place, to learn a new thing. But for some reason we don't always keep the guide on hand. We look at it when we first experience the newness of something, and then we put in the drawer. Sometimes this is okay because we have gotten the knowledge we needed to move forward and practice what we've learned. But then .... we get a bit distracted or disinterested and our attention shifts, and when we need the guide for a refresher we may avoid getting it out again even though we really need it. At this point, think back to why you needed the guide in the first place. Remember its value. Get it out, dust it off and get your mind set to learn more when you open it up again.  Subscribe to this blog and be entered to win this month's book draw or surprise giveaway!
App endorsements are unpaid. Photos are free from Unsplash or my camera roll. Teachers! Sign up for a FREE coaching call to sort out your professional needs. Admin! Book a FREE consultation call to set up coaching for your teachers. Last week in my Clubhouse room, Organizing Teaching Spaces, we talked and shared a lot of ideas about how important organization is - with keeping our neuro-diversities in mind. Turns out - not everyone is tuned into or is drawn in by organization systems! What!!! Yes! It's absolutely true! We all have our strengths and styles when it comes to how we keep up with our spaces and materials, just like anything else. What makes sense for me, might not make sense to others, and vice versa. The key though, is that you work with your strengths here. That you create an understanding - with yourself - that in order to be fully functional and efficient, some kind of system must be in operation. Even the simples of them! Working with your strengths will usually result in a decent and perhaps sustainable way to keep on top of things! You know, that's why I created a few cards in which I thought most people may be able to anchor their Organizer-self in! So, are you.... ....Tidy-all-the-Time? ...Tidy-on-Top? ...a Piler or Stacker? or maybe.... a Once-a-Year type of organizer? Who else might you be? Just based on the name itself - which do you tune into immediately? Can you make a definition of your organizer-self using this title? Who do you think can relate? I have so many questions! Would love for you to drop some comments in the box below! And if you want a copy of my Organizer Identity cards, you can grab them here! See if your definition matches with mine!  Teachers! Sign up for a FREE coaching call to sort out your professional needs.
Admin! Book a FREE consultation call to set up coaching for your teachers. Subscribe to this blog and be entered to win this month's book draw or surprise giveaway! App endorsements are unpaid. Photos are free from Unsplash or my camera roll. Sometimes I think that people don't take me seriously when I talk about how important it is to establish systems of organization. Organization is not a surface level event. It requires sets of skills, a depth of understanding, and a willingness to make changes and improvements. I think it's fairly safe to say that most of us have felt the overwhelm and feelings of doom when we are in spaces that are cluttered, junky or in the space in which we are constantly overloaded with tasks. A few recent blog posts I've read on sites such as PsychCentral and ScaryMommy, I know they aren't scientific journals but, real people are sharing these serious emotional responses to too much stuff in spaces, too many things to manage, and not enough time in a day sort it all out. These emotional responses affect us daily in our personal lives, and that overflows into our professional lives. One might think I'm making a lot of assumptions here, but... I know I'm not. I know how easy it is to be on top of thing one minute and slip into the abyss an hour later. I've been there! Many times! An organized (teaching) life requires dedication and effort. It isn't easy. You know that --- and I know that! But it's possible to get yourself --- and your students --- set up for success. The impending feeling of doom when you enter your overwhelming spaces isn't normal, and we have to stop letting it be just that.  Teachers! Sign up for a FREE coaching call to sort out your professional needs.
Admin! Book a FREE consultation call to set up coaching for your teachers. Subscribe to this blog and be entered to win this month's book draw or surprise giveaway! App endorsements are unpaid. Photos are free from Unsplash or my camera roll. How does the room you're in right now make you feel? Look around, then close your eyes. Are you relaxed? Stressed? Present? Overstimulated? If your space makes you feel relaxed, what is it that makes you feel that way? If your space makes you feel stressed or overwhelmed, ask yourself the same question. What is causing the emotion you feel when you are in that space? What do you need to do to shift the emotion from stressed to calm? How can you amplify or translate the calmness to a space that makes you feel stressed?
All of these considerations can have an impact on your performance as a teacher and how your students respond. What you do right now can create a greater sense of usefulness and calm is you begin making small changes. Check in with yourself often. You deserve it.  Teachers! Sign up for a FREE coaching call to sort out your professional needs. Admin! Book a FREE consultation call to set up coaching for your teachers. Subscribe to this blog and be entered to win this month's book draw or surprise giveaway! App endorsements are unpaid. Photos are free from Unsplash or my camera roll. What's the one thing in your classroom or work space that just bothers you so much? For me, it's the cords. Phone cord, laptop cord, ring light cord, head phone cord. Cords, cords, cords! I hate cords. When they tangle, it feels like my brain also tangles. For Jamie, it was paper - actually Jamie was admittedly a paper addict. So let's call that a love/hate relationship. Jamie knew she needed to rid herself of all that paper in her space. So you know what Jamie did after we chatted a bit about decluttering? She bought a scanner, scanned the docs and saved them into a digital space. No more paper taking up her cute workspace anymore! Check out her post on the Organizing Teaching Spaces page on Facebook! Jamie - I'm so glad you found some peace with paper!  (Disclaimer: the image does not show Jamie's workspace ;) ) Teachers! Sign up for a FREE coaching call to sort out your professional needs. Admin! Book a FREE consultation call to set up coaching for your teachers. Subscribe to this blog and be entered to win this month's book draw or surprise giveaway! App endorsements are unpaid. Photos are free from Unsplash or my camera roll. This past week I had fun sharing a few organization tips with some awesome educators in my new webinar. One of the questions I asked was: Do you want to stop making organizational mistakes? Obviously, answers were a resounding YES. Further to that, was one lovely participant's comment written in the chat box, a mistake she keeps making - and trust me, it's a common mistake. I used to make the same one over and over and still get caught in it sometimes! Now, this particular mistake doesn't seem like it would be a big deal. But it is. It can change how you feel about your work space, how you feel about going to work and leave you with a sense of dread because you don't want to face it. It's the mistake of even thinking - yeah, yeah, I'll take care of that tomorrow - and then leaving a mess for yourself to clean up the next day. You've thought, said and done this, right? Putting off cleaning your space until the next day? This is a negative habit worth fixing for a number of reasons:
Does this sound pleasant to you? I'm guessing not! That stuff is blocking your clarity and productivity. Don't let it control you. You are the adult here! (You've said that to your students or kids, haven't you?) To combat that sense of things controlling your physical (and mental) space, here are three suggestions:
Go ahead and give it a go. Keep this practice up everyday for at least three weeks. In your work space, home space, wherever you need it. Then reflect on how this has (or has not) changed your day, emotional state or productivity.  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  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. |
