Getting involved with our communities in charitable ways is a fantastic way to motivate us in dealing with clutter, especially with regards to letting go. This week, we discuss all the ways to contribute on a local level, as well as how to deal with some of those hard to donate items. Check out our shownotes for an extensive list of donation resources and recycling guide!

Why are deadlines important? What’s the best way to use them effectively? How do we keep ourselves accountable when we are setting our own deadlines? This episode, we dive deep into using deadlines as a productivity tool, as well as outlining a couple different prioritization systems you can use to stay on top of pending tasks. Try our “Master Dump List” exercise and work through a prioritization challenge of your own.

What are some techniques for getting past procrastination resistance we all struggle with occasionally? This week we discuss how to reframe negative thoughts, the five-minute rule, using lists to combat overwhelm, and more! Accept the 5-5 Challange and see if you can turn overcoming procrastination into more of an automated habit in your life.

What’s the best way to use a planner? How can we make the most of monthly, weekly, and daily views? And what about managing our ever shifting tasks and to-dos? In this episode, we break down the different layouts you typically see in a planner and the best way to maximize them with regards to everything that needs to get done. Learn how to do some research on your habits to find your maximum productivity window!

This week, Bianca and Ginni battle it out and break down all the different reasons you might choose to use a paper or digital planner. Tune in to find out what’s to love about each, as well as issues that may arise depending on what kind of system you’re using. Plus, we’ll do a quick run down of some of our favorite planning products on the market. Check out the shownotes on our website to find all the product links!

What’s the best way to find the optimal planning tool for you? Figure out your learning style! In this episode, we discuss the differences in visual, auditory, reading/writing, and kinesthetic learners. Determine yours using “The IKEA Test” and start customizing your tools to maximize information intake and productivity!

Creating good habits in our lives helps automate some of that pesky maintenance that plagues us all, freeing up mental space for big-picture thoughts. Not to mention the myriad benefits of ditching bad habits! This episode we’ll be talking about how to change your habits, both starting good ones and breaking bad ones.

Season 1, Episode 1: Goals Welcome: This week we are talking about how to set realistic and effective goals, as well as making sure your day-to-day life is in line with these goals. Each episode will finish with an Action Item you can use to put some of the concepts we spoke about to work. Working Backwards: Having your big end goal in sight first You don’t want to try and figure out what your daily tasks are before you know where you are going Write down your big “far-away” future goal Then, think about all the little steps you need to take in order to reach that goal. These smaller, specific sub-tasks can be viewed as little mini-goals to get you where you want to be. For example, let’s say our big goal is “I want to get healthy.” Some smaller sub-tasks might be: Working out, getting better rest, or eating more consciously. Next, take a look at each one of your smaller “mini-goals” or subtasks. Think about what each will mean for you, specifically, and how you can best fit it into your life. For example, in the mini-goal, “working out,” does this mean hitting the gym? An at home exercise program? Signing up for some yoga classes? Or going for a run or hike? By continuously breaking down your goals into specific bite-sized pieces, you are creating manageable tasks that can be more easily incorporated into your existing habits and routines. Keep creating sub-tasks until you have a detailed and pin-pointed description of something that feels realistically accomplishable for you. Think about the culmination of these specific sub-tasks as a staircase that’s helping you reach your big ambiguous future goal. This can help us feel like we’re making constant momentum towards what we’re trying to achieve and keep motivation strong, as well as act as a deterrent for overwhelm. If you are visually stimulated and struggle with maintaining motivation when working towards larger more complex goals, try drawing out your staircase and labeling the steps with some of your sub-steps (this can be done digitally or on paper). Use a little person icon (or whatever suits your fancy!) to move yourself up the staircase as you make progress. This gives a great visual representation of how far you’ve come. Asses Commitment: Now that you’ve outlined both your broad goals, check point “mini goals”, and specific sub-steps, take a look at how big your staircase is. Once you see everything this goal entails, ask yourself these questions: Is this something you are passionate enough about to commit to? Do you have the time in your schedule to devote to this endeavor? What kind of sacrifices are you willing to make to ensure you reach your goal? Prioritize Multiple Goals: If you have multiple goals that you want to achieve, decide which one is most important. Which goal do you want to achieve first? Often, the best candidate is whatever thing has been bugging you the most. The sense of accomplishment that comes with finishing something you’ve been thinking about frequently can be a great motivator in getting more and more done! Getting Life in Line with Your Goals: Weekly Intention Setting Session: Once a week, take some time to write down all the things that you want to accomplish. This can include everything from critical “crisis management” tasks (such as accomplishing deliverables for clients that are due soon), to ongoing chores and maintenance items (grocery shopping, oil change, etc.), to personal and social commitments (like spending time with family or friends). Make sure to include some of those sub-tasks for large end goals that you have outlined for yourself. Look at the balance between “crisis management”, chores, self-care, and time set aside for reaching your goals. How much time in your week are you really setting aside for those sub-tasks that will help you get to where you want to be? How much time are you spending on things that aren’t necessarily important to you? If there is never quite enough time to accomplish those sub-task