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Author Archive for Carolyn

30 Tips in 30 Days Productivity Book Reviews

Posted by Carolyn on
 February 12, 2021
  ·  No Comments

Since many of us are planning out for 2021 (despite Covid restrictions!) and looking at how we can accomplish our personal or professional goals for the year, I decided to revisit two book recommendations I made in June 2020 as part of 30 Productivity Tips in 30 Days. (Look for these on my Mastering Clutterfree Living Facebook Group.) You may find the books helpful in tackling your goals and setting up for success.

Book jacket for Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy. More productivity with less procrastinating.

Eat That Frog, Brian Tracy

Eat That Frog 3rd ed, Brian Tracy

Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc.

Brian Tracy is well known in the productivity and “get stuff done” circles. His 21 other published works take up a full page of the introductory information at the beginning of this book. There is no doubt that he is a master of logical and linear thinking on how to get things done, create goals and plan one’s life.

The Pros

Being a logical thinker myself, I lapped up this short, easy to read book in no time. Tracy’s subtitle “21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time” makes a big promise. It does not disappoint. Tracy uses the analogy of a dinner table and food to be consumed throughout the book.

The basic premise of the book is to first tackle the most difficult or least attractive item on your list of things to do (i.e. eat your least favourite food first). With that out of the way, the rest is easier to swallow. Tracy’s book is 21 ways to help you accomplish this “eat the frog first” strategy.

This is a simple, useful addition to the library of any  relatively productive, organized individual looking for a tuneup or reminder of how to get stuff done. However, it’s everyone else that I worry about—the folks who are most likely to reach out for my coaching or organizing support.

The Cons

While helpful, this book is perhaps a little too linear and logical for many people. I would have liked more support for those of you who are facing a task or project that is beyond overwhelming and causes you to either hyperventilate or run to the vacuum to procrastinate by cleaning the house (again). If that happens, please remember to breathe. Just breathe. A path forward will present itself if enough oxygen gets to your brain. Try going out for a short walk to exercise the large muscle groups in your body, get the circulation going and get that oxygen to the grey matter upstairs. Nature has a way of calming, grounding, and providing clarity.

Book Jacket Inspired Action by Erin Elizabeth Wells. More productivity, more purpose.

Ispired Action, Erin Elizabeth Wells

Inspired Action: Create more Purpose, Productivity, & Peace in Your Life, Erin Elizabeth Wells

2016, Chosen Course Press

I love this book and highly recommend it to my clients. Is it because Wells uses a sailing analogy and I am a lifelong sailor? Maybe. More likely it is because this productivity guide is an easy read and addresses the breath stopping sense of being overwhelmed that my clients often experience. It sets up in easy sound bites that can be absorbed one tiny bit at a time.

Wells handles all the usual productivity strategies that one would expect to see in a book about getting more done and reaching one’s objectives: vision, tools, goals, and lists. In addition, however, she sets her readers up for success by addressing purpose, one’s great “Why?”. While some people might find her theories a little “woo woo” for their taste, after 15-plus years in the organizing and productivity industry, I am a firm believer that managing energy supports managing productivity, and Wells is too. She has dedicated an entire section of the book to Mending Your Sails: Energy Management. In addition, Wells addresses everyday activities that can support productivity success. She also includes a section on Life Planning and Yearly Planning.

The result of this comprehensive and compassionate approach to productivity?; a recipe book to help you get on top of your goals and life in general. I highly recommend you add to your library whether you are generally organized or struggling everyday to get stuff done. You will likely read it again and again for instruction or a refresher. It’s easy to read, easy to digest and easy to follow. Boom. That’s a book we could all use.

Evolution Coaching Productivity

Digital Declutter For a Clutterfree Business

Posted by Carolyn on
 September 27, 2020
  ·  No Comments
What a year 2020 has  been….

What a year 2020 has been.  With the world in the grip of a global pandemic, I hope that you have stayed well.

Like many people, lockdown during the pandemic has offered me a time for reflection.  And again, like many people, I have reshaped my business to make more sense in the increasingly digital world in which we live.

With changes afoot, it was time to give my audience an update. Here is The update from 2020 thus far.

Too Much Stuff!

Following the establishment of Caldwell Evolution Inc in 2016, I used the brand Altered Organization to represent the organizing side of the business. Caldwell Evolution became the brand for coaching, productivity and all my other professional work.  A tremendous idea at the time. It ended up, however, creating a lot of digital assets to be managed including a couple of Facebook pages, groups, Instagram accounts and so forth. The result was a lot to look after and it wasn’t being handled very well.  I had digital clutter that was making it hard to focus and get anything done at all.

Simplifying and Decluttering

What does a productivity coach and professional organizer do with too much stuff in their life?

Declutter

It was time for digital and brand decluttering.

Taking a page out of my own client handbook, I have spent 2020 decluttering the business and online presence of Caldwell Evolution Inc.  Here are some changes that you may have noticed:

1. Caldwell Evolution Inc services are all consolidated under one brand.  Altered Organization as a brand has been retired. You can find information on all services one website www.caldwellevolution.com. 

2. Instagram has been consolidated.  You can find Instagram stories and Instagram posts all under the one brand Caldwell Evolution.

3. The @wellrich Twitter account has been brought in line with the Caldwell Evolution branding.  You can find me there @CaldwellEvolutn.

4. The Altered Organization Facebook page has been merged with Caldwell Evolution Organizing and Productivity. I invite you to join us in the new Caldwell Evolution Facebook group, Mastering Clutterfree Living.  Here you can find tips, strategies, challenges and conversation with other individuals seeking a more clutterfree, productive life.

5. On Pinterest, you can find me @caldwellevolution
Check out my LinkedIn profile which has also had a declutter fresh look.

All these changes are designed to help you find resources and information more easily. This will support your efforts to create clarity, create space and accelerate your evolution to the best version of you. I hope you find this simplified, decluttered digital presence helpful.  I would love you hear your comments.

Uncategorized
Tags : Caldwell Evolution, clutterfree, declutter, digital clutter, get organized, organize

Done in ’20 Offer

Posted by Carolyn on
 November 27, 2019
  ·  No Comments

Use Promo Code SMALLBIZSAT at checkout for $100 off.

Done is 20 with Certified Professional Organizer and productivity coach Carolyn Caldwell is the 55 minute coaching that will turn 2020 into the year  you get stuff done and see your To Do’s become Done’s.

Booked in December 2019, Carolyn will walk you through creation of a dynamic, get it done To Do List. Done in 20 includes a work sheet, a recorded Zoom call and sample lists to ensure your success in getting things done in 2020. From brain dumps to time deepening, you will be planning like a productivity pro.  Done in 20 provides the direct support and encouragement available with a live coaching call.

Take advantage of Black Friday weekend offer; save $100 if booked by December 2, 2019.

Use Promo Code SMALLBIZSAT at checkout for $100 off.

Uncategorized
Tags : Productivity Offer, To Do List
Managing clutter is a journey.

Your Clutterfree Journey

Posted by Carolyn on
 November 25, 2019
  ·  No Comments

Being Organized is a Journey

When I first meet a new client, they frequently talk about “getting organized”.  Often, clients are looking for that perfect organized state that will never need any further work..

“What do I need to do to get organized?” they may ask. They look for that perfect tool or piece of furniture or perhaps the perfect filing system for their office. There is one organized way to set up a wardrobe or closet and if they could just figure out what it is, they would never again be disorganized.

My experience demonstrates that in fact, getting organized is a journey.  It’s not the perfect closet set up from the magazine or the perfectly labelled jars from a social media platform.  Labelled jars and beautiful closets might be a stage of the journey. 

Your Clutterfree Journey Changes

There is a natural ebb and flow of things throughout our life . Objects come into our life, they spend some time with us and us with them. Their role in our life is complete at some point. Objects naturally move on to another life with another individual because we no longer need them.

For some that Journey is one that twists and turns with many hills, valley, mountains and bridges.  The Journey is harder at some times in our lives than others because of the nature of objects. For example, some mothers have alot of trouble parting with their babies clothes or toys. Some individuals have more difficulty avoiding accumulation than others. Some individuals have more trouble parting with objects.  Even those living a minimlaist lifestyle have a Journey with twists and turns.  Sometimes the journey take alot of concentration and othertimes, hardly any attention at all.

Thoughts and Actions Can be Clutterfree

It isn’t just the objects that make up clutter. Our thoughts can have clutter. Our activities can have clutter. Ever get to the end of a busy, exhausting day and wonder why your top priority for the day didn’t get done? Hmmm, maybe some clutter got in the way on your To Do List! A Clutterfree Journey can include an action-oriented List. An action-oriented To Do List gets stuff done.

More Information, Tips and Strategies

I invite you to come back and share your Clutterfree Journey. This blog is designed to help you navigate it successfully. You can look forward to information, tips and strategies and some company on your Journey.

Uncategorized
Tags : Clutterfree Journey, To Do List

How to Stay Sane and Organized for the Holidays!

Posted by Carolyn on
 October 29, 2018
  ·  No Comments

Enjoy Organized Holidays

The Holidays are Coming!

Wow, how did we get here so fast? It”s almost Hallowe’en and right behind that is the Holidays.  Overwhelmed?  Totally normal.  Staying organized for the holidays is challenging and overwhelm is common for many people.

Don’t panic.  An organized holiday  schedule and plan is possible.

Stay Organized using the Breaking Down Solution

Try the breaking down solution. Do you have an overwhelming job at hand? Grab a piece of paper and pen/pencil and start writing down, in no particular order, all the small tasks that go into the larger project.

Stay Organized with Verbs

Verb up your list of To Do’s. If your children will be trick or treating, it might include: buy children costume, brainstorm costume ideas with kids, schedule trip to thrift store to buy costume pieces, buy candy, rebook meeting for Oct. 31 evening, decide on supper for Oct. 31.

Stay Organized by Ordering

Next, give a number to each task depending upon the importance and order that each needs to be done. For example, scheduling the trip to the thrift store and rebooking your appointment for the evening of Oct. 31 might need to come before brainstorming with the children.

Stay Organized by Estimating Time

Finally, estimate and assign an approximate time to each task. It doesn’t matter if the estimate is perfectly accurate it just has to be close to accurate. This will help you recognize how your time will be used by the items on your list.

 

Uncategorized

Organizing Back to School

Posted by Carolyn on
 September 10, 2018
  ·  No Comments

It’s Back to School Time!

Get organized to get back to school!

Say good-bye beach time, dock time and lazy sunsets late into the evening.  Hello schedules, calendars, assignments and packed lunches. Yikes! Where did that summer go.

Alas, here in North America, and many places around the world, school has just gone back in session after a couple of months of that beautiful thing called Summer Vacation.  however, getting kids and families back to school carries the same challenges  whether your are north or south of the equator.  To help you out, here are a couple of tried and true tips.  They work every time.  Hang in there folks….the holidays are only 10 weeks away.  Don’t worry….we can help with that too!

 

Keep the Family Calendar Public

Whether electronic or paper, a family calendar is an essential organizing tool.

To help keep the family organized with schedules, a posted, public calendar is helpful. There are several wall/refrigerator calendars available from special Family Organizing ones to white boards. Whichever style suits your families needs, make sure it is posted where everyone can see it. Schedules are best not kept as a secret. Try using an alligator clip on a hook to keep all time sensitive information i.e. Birthday party invitations, curriculum night close at hand. If necessary, use binder dividers to separate the information by family member.

Label, Label, Label

Used permanent marker to make sure lost items come back.

Label everything possible that doesn’t normally stay attached to your child. Label lunch bags on the outside so that they can see their name clearly. Try to have the children wear their new clothes several times before school so that the items are very familiar to them. If you don’t have access to iron on labels, a pen or laundry marker on the tag will serve the purpose.Children are most likely to lose items that they don’t recognize as their own  like all those new back to school clothes, binders and lunch bags.

Home Organizing
organizing the living room

4 Steps to Organize the Living Room and Reclaim Some Adult Space

Posted by Carolyn on
 May 15, 2018

Wish you could organize the living room for adult space?

organize the living

Boxes and ottomans are great toy hiding spots that children can easily access.

Are you looking to organize the living room and reclaim  a little of the adult space  again?  Have you stepped on Barbie’s shoes one too many times and wish you could organize the living room into a adult rest and relax space for just one evening?

Reclaiming adult space is a common theme for many parents.  No matter how much they love their children, at there comes a time when many parents crave a lego-free zone, even for just a short period.

Organizing the living room by banning Barbie, her shoes and the lego altogether may not be possible, or even desirable, for your family and home.  The living room frequently serves as a multi-purpose space.  In the absence of a large recreation or family room, the living room is sometimes adult relax space, Barbie’s house and lego creation central all at the same time.

Here are 4 steps that you can use to organize the living room to help keep Barbie, the lego and any other toys in check so that when needed, the living room can be the rest and refresh space the adults in your household are looking for.

Step 1 – Identify Easily Accessible Storage Space

Look around and study where you might find storage for toys and other children’s items in the living room.  Storage space, which children can access, doesn’t have to be complicated.  Look for space under tables, a shelf on a book shelf, a shelf in an entertainment unit, storage in an ottoman.

organizing the living room

Here is an example of re-purposing a bureau in the living as a table. The drawers make for great toy storage.

Step 2 – Contain the Chaos

Gather up the toys and see what can be parked where.  Identify a new home for the items.  Larger items can go under tables.  Smaller items can be stowed in containers on shelves, under the coffee table or on a book shelf.

Step 3 – Source out Storage Containers Complimentary to your Living Room Decor

Sure, toy storage can be bright and cheerful and kid friendly.  It can also be adult and decor friendly.  While lego may need to be stored in some form of sorting container, the finished products can be displayed with pride on the bookshelves an entertainment unit.  Consider using a glass coffee table with a shelf and the finished lego items become decorations themselves.

Step 4 – Build tidy up time into play time

organize the living room.

Open containers that match the colour scheme of this living room make for perfect toy storage on the bottom of the book shel

Once each item has a home, and the home has been put into place, the next step is to teach the children to use those containers and return their toys, books and lego to their homes.  In my experience, children understand that they go home after playtime so the toys and books also need to go home after play time.  When we teach them that the toys need to go home to after playtime, clean up is done by the kids, not the adults.

Home Organizing Organizing Strategies
Tags : Accumulation, Clearing Clutter, living room, managing mess

Top 3 Tips for an Organized Car

Posted by Carolyn on
 April 18, 2017
  ·  1 Comment

,Top 3 Tips for an Organized CarLet’s Get Organized, Car!

Welcome spring with an organized car.  With an organized car, you will be ready, to hit the road this summer!  The warmer weather and clear roads make many of us start to think about smartening up that car.  if you live in Canada, like I do, you’ve just taken off the snow tires, had the car serviced for breaks, oil and whatever else is on its schedule.  Now a car wash is on the agenda for a warm sunny weekend in April.

Once that beauty is clean and purring, what about keeping it clean and organized?  Here are the top 3 tips for you to follow to keep that and smart looking and organized car.

1. Get rid of the Garbage!

To keep your 4 wheeled baby looking beautiful, managing the garbage is key.  Nothing says, “I’m not organized” like a car full of old fast food coffee cups, bagel wrappers and other debris.  Grab a garbage bag – check through the car and load up that bag. Most of the clutter in cars is associated with garbage that just didn’t make it to the bin.  Kids can help; give them their own garbage bag for their part of the car. Next time you fill up with gas, get them to toss it in the bin.

2. Contain the Car Accessories

Put a box in the back for wandering gear – this can be as fancy as a “car gear box” available at many retailers or as simple as a cardboard box. Toss all the bits and pieces that have to stay with the car in there – cables, hitches, wrenches (for the hitches), roof rack accessories and the like.  This will accomplish two things for you and your car.  First, the car will be clutter free.  Second, you will be able to find the accessories when you need them.  Nothing kills the joy of packing for a weekend fishing trip like searching high and low for the hitch ball.

3. Clear the Glove Box

 Our winters are cold.  There were a lot of trips for coffee and tea en route to ski weekends and ski races this winter.  Our glove box gets full of random napkins and occasionally, if i’m not watching carefully, ketchup sachets and straws. Those who know me know there will be no ketchup, or any other condiment, sachets in my car.  Take only what you need for those chips and, when you are done, throw them out!.  There are lots of napkins and straws that wander into the glove box.  Get rid of the old ones and put in some fresh new ones, along with a fresh package of hand wipes for when water isn’t available.   While you are at it, use the old napkins to wipe of the console and dash of dust and winter debris.

Now the next time you and the family want to hit the road, your shiny, organized car will be waiting in the driveway.

Organizing Travel Uncategorized
Tags : Car, organized car, organized travel

Time Tamer Tuesday – 5 Steps to Time Management at the Office

Posted by Carolyn on
 March 14, 2017
  ·  3 Comments

Time Management at the Office

Time Management, The Illusive Goal

Wouldn’t it be nice to know that time management was actually possible? Do you wish you could get more done at the office?

Unfortunately, despite all attempts otherwise, none of us can manage Time; that is the reality.  It continues to tick away – 24 hours in each day, 60 minutes in each hour and 60 seconds in each minute – each and every day of the year.  We can, however, manage ourselves.  We can manage ourselves to do more with the time we have available. Manage your behaviour around getting things done, and time will seem way more friendly – almost like you did manage it. Here are 5 steps to get help you out.

Step 1 – Commit to Behaviour Change as a Time Management Strategy

Start by committing to managing yourself in order to get time management under control.  Set the intention to become more productive with  your time.  With a commitment to your own behaviour change, time management becomes less illusive.  Make a pact with yourself to take responsibility for doing more in less time.  While time is not to blame for what you can’t get done, only  you have control over what you CAN get done.  So take back control.

This is the toughest step.  Get firmly planted in this direction, and the rest will seem much easier.

Step 2 – Identify Your Top Priorities and Tasks for each Day, Week, Month and Year

Time Management at the Office, Set Goals

You likely already have annual priorities identified as part of your annual planning, goals, performance objectives or other performance measurement or company planning strategy.  Are you an entrepreneur?   Have you got your business objectives lined up for the year/quarter/month/week?  Great.  Now turn them into goals for the month, week and day.  What do you need to get done by the end of the day, week, month, and then the quarter, to accomplish your annual goals?  The priority tasks for today will feed into your priority goals for this week.  The same is true for the month.  By the end of this week, are you a quarter of your way to your priorities for the month?  What has to be finished to get there?

Daily tasks are the key to keeping the productivity up.  Keep your daily priority tasks simple and short.  Now write them down.  Start with a verb to direct your action.  Rather than writing “Managers’ Report” write “Collect data, analyze and write Managers’ Report”.   Writing down goals helps set the intention and for many of us, helps lodge those goals into our brains to help keep us focused and pointing in the right direction.

Step 3 – Book Time in your Calendar to accomplish the Tasks

For time management book tasks into your calendar.

Each task takes a certain amount of time.  Estimate this to the best of your ability and book the time to accomplish the task into your calendar.

There’s a funny thing about tasks we want/need/should get done, especially some of the tougher ones.  If we don’t book time and protect that time, everything else, on everyone else’s priority list, has the opportunity to get

Step 4 – Commit to the Time Scheduled – and Let Everyone Know

Your time is committed; tell the people around you.   Close your door.  Ask not to be disturbed.  Put your phone on silent.  Turn off your email alerts. Turn off all your alerts except for any related to risk management that require you to drop everything and respond (are you on the Code Blue Team?).  This often takes some practice.  With time, however, people will come to understand that you commit to your time and expect them to respect that.  And they will love that you get stuff done.  Your boss knows that managing these boundaries helps you to get stuff done for her/him.  Reports are on time.  Your staff recognize that you get stuff done for them.  Schedules are on  time.  You approve vacation requests quickly.

Nice.

Step 5 – Commit to Running Productive Meetings

You’ve got a meeting to run?  Set an Agenda.  Send it out ahead of time.  Be clear on what you are trying to accomplish.  Remember, other people struggle with time management as well.  When you are clear on the agenda, people you meet with are grateful.  Stick to it your agenda.  Finish the meeting just as soon as the agenda is accomplished.  While we are all interested in someone else’s successes, their celebrations and someone else’s venting their frustrations, if all that isn’t on your agenda, it will have to wait for some other time.  You run a focused and productive meeting.

 

With a commitment to managing yourself, identified priorities, time booked for your key tasks, protection of your time and productive meetings, time management at the office is no longer illusive.  At least it will feel like you managed time.

Office Organizing Organizing Time Time Tamer Tuesday
Tags : organizing strategies, productivity, Time Management, Time Tamers
website launching

Great Day for a Website Launch

Posted by Carolyn on
 February 13, 2017
  ·  No Comments

website launching

What better day than Valentine’s Day to launch a new website.  Have a look around and leave a message.  Sign up for tips, tools and strategies on getting clarity, doing more with less, getting focused, and productivity.

So glad you stopped by. Check us out also on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Caldwell Evolution News Uncategorized
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