Stephanie Calahan Articles

Your Limitations - Are they a Black Swan? - Click To Read Article
umor me for a moment today. Please close your eyes and envision a swan. Now, take a few moments and describe that swan. What words did you use? White, graceful, bird, clean, dirty, ugly duckling, etc. Long ago, in Europe, everyone believed that all swans were white. Why was that? Well, it was because all anyone had ever seen were swans that were white. Everyone thought that until in 1967. That was when Australia was found as well as the black swan. So what does this have to do with organizing or productivity? Keep reading to find out! Don't limit yourself!

Your Sanity Savers - Have Time for the Good Life - Part One - Click To Read Article
Interruptions can be a huge time waster! Today there are more ways than ever to get interrupted, someone at your door, phone, cell phone, pager, instant messaging, email and more. Gain control of your environment by practicing some of these tips. The following tips will help you gain control of your time and your sanity!

Your Sanity Savers - Have Time for the Good Life - Part Two - Click To Read Article
Interruptions can be a huge time waster! Today there are more ways than ever to get interrupted, someone at your door, phone, cell phone, pager, instant messaging, email and more. Gain control of your environment by practicing some of these tips. The following tips will help you gain control of your time and your sanity!

Your To Do Lists - do they help or hinder? - Click To Read Article
We all have them and many of us would love it if we could find a way to manage them better. To actually Get Things Done! Your To Do Lists - do they help or hinder? There are a number of ways to document and track to do lists. Different strategies will work for different people. The trick is to find a system that works for the way that you think. Today I will talk about 4 different ways to manage your to-do lists.

Work to the Beat! - Click To Read Article
A while ago I asked you if you preferred to work in your office or at your house. In that posting, I talked about how it is important to understand what works for you. What makes you focus? What makes you want to get up and move? What helps you with creativity? For me, it is frequently music! You see, I grew up in a very music filled family.

Web Information Overload - Consider RSS - Click To Read Article
Do you struggle with information overload? Do you take time to go out to your favorite sites to see what is new? Is your in-box stuffed with information from various blogs that you have subscribed to? Are you going nuts trying to manage it all? If any of these questions ring true to you, then you might want to consider looking into knowing more about RSS. Learn what RSS is and how you can use this tool to increase your productivity.

What are Your Real Priorities? - Click To Read Article
So many people, when they think of clutter, think of piles of stuff laying all over the place, but we can clutter up our schedules and life choices too. As you are determining your goals, start with identifying your priorities. If your goals are not aligned with the things that are truly important to you, then, what is the point? I realize that sounds simplistic, but for many it is an exercise that really helps.

Unique Way to Create Business Goals - Learning from a Kindergarten Student - Click To Read Article
Calahan shares how to tie her son's school creed to your business goal setting program. This system is best for creative types, however, it is a great way for more analytical organizations to think through how to tweak goals too.

Understand Your Roles - Click To Read Article
How many hats do you wear? Well, not literally, of course. You hear that phrase all of the time. Wearing many hats. What that essentially means is that in life, we all have different roles that we play in different groups. If you don't consider those roles, it can cause you time management issues down the line.

Supply Management - 8 Tips for Keeping Your Supplies in Order - Click To Read Article
So how many push pins and paper clips do you really need at your desk? Office costs are going up by the minute and we are frequently to blame! Walking by the supply room... we grab a few boxes "just in case" not really knowing if we need the item or not. So, we end up with a bunch of stuff in our office or cube that takes up room and that we do not use! So, consider these tips for your space.

The Best Leaders Don't Have to be in the Office - Click To Read Article
If you want to run a successful business, one of the first steps is to learn to implement systems so that you don't need to be at your business all of the time. Your office should be able to run without you. In fact, there are very few successful entrepreneurs that are also micro-managers. As a business leader, your focus should be on growing your business, not the day to day operations. For many that is a really hard transition. So, take it step by step. One great place to start is by making sure that your business can function when you are ill or away on business trips. Here are three tips to help you kick that process off.

Strategies for Working From Home - Click To Read Article
It is happening more and more every day. People are working out of their homes. Some work from home as a telecommuter for a large corporation, while others own their own business and use their home as a base camp. What ever your reason, understanding that working from home has advantages and challenges is important.

Spending Time on Social Networking - Make it Count! - Click To Read Article
Have you set up a Web 2.0 strategy for your business? Do you use social networking sites to build your prospect listing? Do you know if the sites you have chosen are a fit with your target market? Before you take a lot of time managing various social networking sites, make sure that the people using that network are in your target market! Today I'll tell you about a great tool that will help you figure that out.

Shrink Your Reading Pile Down with a 5-10 Minute Reading Folder - Click To Read Article
I am always clipping out (or tearing out) articles from various professional and personal magazines that I will read "some day." I have been doing this for years (say, way back to those high-school days believe it or not…) I used to get so frustrated because I never found the time to get to the articles and they just kept piling up on my floor or desk. Then someone helped me!

Schedule Your Day to Reflect Goals and Priorities - Part 1 - What Are Your Priorities? - Click To Read Article
If you are struggling to have your day reflect your goals and priorities there are a number of things that you can do to make it happen. "Sometimes you have to let go a little to grow a lot." -- Marsha Firestone, Ph.D

Schedule Your Day to Reflect Goals and Priorities - Part 2 - Align Those Goals - Click To Read Article
Now that you have your priorities firmly set in your mind, it is time to do a double check on your goals. "What??!! Stephanie, I wanted you to tell me how to manage my time with the goals I already had and now you are telling me to do more work?" In a word, yes. Please stick with me here though. There really is a method to my madness. Often, we will create goals in a vacuum. Maybe we read the latest post from our favorite guru and decide that we need to hop on the latest project they are talking about. Or, maybe you have a goal on your list that someone else put there. .

Schedule Your Day to Reflect Goals and Priorities - Part 3 - Understanding Your Rhythm - Click To Read Article
I had a workshop attendee ask me this once: "Do you think that if I buy a bunch of watches, I'll have more time?" Now, he really was not serious, but I think he wished it would work! "Making time" is really not possible. There will always be 24 hours in a day -- at least until someone masters time travel... So in the meantime, here are some thoughts on ho to schedule your day.

Schedule Your Day to Reflect Goals and Priorities - Part 4 - Align Your Time - Click To Read Article
Scheduling your day can be challenging for many. (This is especially true if others add activities to your calender! I have had others adding to my calender for over a decade now!) Today I'll talk about how you put the pieces together to schedule your day.

Save Money - Work from Home - but be Ready for Mobile Challenges - Click To Read Article
With the rising cost of gas, many employers are looking to telecommuting or 4-day work weeks to help defray the cost of commuting. Employers look at cutting down on workers' commutes I love this idea! However, if you are considering making a change to your schedule, or to where you conduct your daily work, there are some things you should consider:

Scheduling and Planning - Keeping on Track - Part 1 - Click To Read Article
Keeping your day on track can often times be a challenge in today's schedule hectic environment. We have provided 7 tips for you to use to make your day go smoother.

Scheduling and Planning - Keeping on Track - Part 2 - Click To Read Article
Keeping your day on track can often times be a challenge in today's schedule hectic environment. We have provided 8 tips for you to use to make your day go smoother.

Run Effective Meetings Save Time Money - Click To Read Article
The way you are running your meetings could be costing you unnecessary expense. Consider this: when making small changes, consider the multiplication factor. 5 minutes shaved off of weekly meetings of 10 people earning $30 per hour would amount to a savings of $6,259 a year. The following tips will help you think through ways to modify the meetings you are holding.

Reminders Put Your Keys in Your Fridge - Click To Read Article
The other night I was staying at a hotel because I was delivering a workshop this morning. As we always do when I'm traveling, as I get ready to go to sleep my husband and I talk on the phone. He opens the conversation with this: "My keys are in the refrigerator." Of course, that caught my attention and I was curious, so I asked him why he might have chosen that particular location. . .

Productivity through Chocolate Reflections - Click To Read Article
So there I sat, staring at the candy and trying not to open the first one. (My will power diminishes after eating one.) Of course, I gave in and ate my first one. I was surprised to see that on the inside of every wrapper are little messages. It is like a chocolate fortune cookie! With every one I opened, I found another productivity thought. "Get Your Feet Massaged" Now doesn't that sound wonderful? Chocolate and a massage! But there is a productivity thought here. So many of us work and work and never take time out to recharge. That is what this message is telling us.

Procrastination Attack! Beat the Clock - Click To Read Article
I have to admit, one of my big vices is coffee. I drink different kinds, but as I sit and write or do any other work at my desk in the evening and into the night, you will usually see a cup of Java close to me. To make this posting make any sense, I must also admit that I really don't like to do laundry, to take out garbage or to deal with dirty or clean dishes. (a domestic goddess I am not...) In the last 2 weeks, I have decided to use this Joe-drinking habit to my advantage. It now helps me fight procrastination.

Procrastination Almost Killed ProductiveAndOrganized - Click To Read Article
I'd like to take a moment to tell you about my experience with blogging. You see, I'm a newbie (only blogging for about a year.) I have been reading the newsletters and posts from experts for at least the last 3 years on how businesses should have a blog. I KNEW it was something I should be doing, but gosh, wasn't there something else ... This is the story of how I was paralyzed by procrastination and overwhelm and how I came out of it.

Paper Control! 8 Questions to Ask Before You Throw any Paper Away - Click To Read Article
So, how many of you have experienced this: You walk into your office and you say to yourself, "Today is the day!" You are excited and you say, "I am going to get this place organized and I'm not leaving until it is done!" Then... you pick up the first piece of paper, look at it, say, "Hmm, well... I'll look at that later." and you put it down. You pick up the second piece of paper, look at it, say, "Oh geese!" and you put it down. The next thing you know, everything from the right side of your office has been moved to the left side of your office and you are tired and call it quits.

Organized Business! How Organized is Yours? - Click To Read Article
According to the Small Business Administration small businesses make up more than 99.7 percent of all employees. Add to that the latest figures that show small businesses create 75% of the net new jobs in our economy and you can see how important small businesses are. Small Business Owners have a very challenging job. Many small business owners go into an industry because it matches their passion or is something that they are really good at. What many start up business owners do not realize is that it takes a LOT more than being good in a particular industry to successfully run a business.

Office Clutter - Is Yours Multiplying? - Click To Read Article
Office clutter tends to multiply like bunnies or grow like weeds. It is not all about the way things look. Excessive clutter makes your business less productive and less profitable. Now, you may not be an expert at organizing, but making sure that your business is better organized should still be a strong consideration, especially if things are starting to get out of control.

Organizing CDs, DVDs, Software and other Discs - Click To Read Article
Do you struggle with organizing your discs? Many people do! If you are like a lot of people, you have tried the disc books and other popular organizing strategies. Today I'll tell you about a different alternative.

Managing Time - Try a Power Hour - Click To Read Article
Have you ever tried a "Power Hour?" It is a great technique for your business or office. Pick 4 areas of your business that really need some focus. (for example, marketing, book keeping, recruiting, office administration, etc.) The concept of a power hour is that you spend 15 minutes -- really really focused minutes on four tasks that need consistent focus that you find you do not get to on a regular basis. Here is how to make the most of that time.

Managing Your Daily Barrage of E-Mail - Click To Read Article
Computers have made our world a much more information rich society, but they have also created so much information that it is sometimes hard to track it all. Most executives average about 100 pieces of e-mail per day! Additionally, according to the National Association of Professional Organizers, e-mail has added one to two hours to each person's work schedule per day compared to 10 years ago. Here 11 Tips for When When You are the Receiver of Email

Just Say "No!" - Click To Read Article
Did you know that saying "No" can actually be doing a favor for the person you are talking to? Really -- it can!! It is also something that is really hard for overachievers to do. And that is what we are right? As entrepreneurs we take on all kinds of things, but sometimes they are not the right things for the time.

Inventories are for More than Your Warehouse! - Click To Read Article
If you had an emergency, would you know where your important documents were? If your business had a fire, would you be able to tell your insurance agent all of the things that you own? What would you remember and what would you forget? Could you list the brand, serial number, model and cost? No? Neither could I if I relied on my memory! Read on for more reasons an inventory is important and what you can do right now.

How long does it take for a person to get organized and is it possible to stay that way? - Click To Read Article
Productivity and organizing project timing varies by project and person. Here are some factors that impact the length of time a project may take:

How Organized Is Your Business? Part 1 - Click To Read Article
According to the Small Business Administration small businesses make up more than 99.7 percent of all employees. Add to that the latest figures that show small businesses create 75% of the net new jobs in our economy and you can see how important small businesses are.

How Organized is Your Business? Part 2 - Click To Read Article
Yesterday I asked you how organized your business was. Did you consider your answer? Today I'll share a thought on how you can move yourself to a business more organized. Write Your Processes Down!

How Organized is Your Business? Part 3 - Click To Read Article
Yesterday I asked you how organized your business was. Did you consider your answer? Today I'll share a thought on how you can move yourself to a business more organized. Take Care of Yourself.

How Organized is Your Business? Part 4 - Click To Read Article
Yesterday I asked you how organized your business was. Did you consider your answer? Today I'll share a thought on how you can move yourself to a business more organized. Schedule the Strategic and Evaluate Where You Need to Get Organized.

Home Office Organization and Design Resources - Click To Read Article
Do you work from home? Would you like to know how to set up your office so that it functions better for you? Did you know that there are now more home-based businesses than there are "store front" small businesses? Keep reading for some resources and tips on setting up your office.

Help Others Manage Their Daily Baragge of Email and Save Time Too - Click To Read Article
Computers have made our world a much more information rich society, but they have also created so much information that it is sometimes hard to track it all. Most executives average about 100 pieces of e-mail per day! Are you adding to that barrage? According to the National Association of Professional Organizers, e-mail has added one to two hours to each person's work schedule per day compared to 10 years ago. Here are 10 tips to use when you are the sender of e-mail to save you and the receiver time.

Group Scheduling - What A Pain! But it does not have to be anymore - Click To Read Article
Unless you work in an organization that has Outlook or Lotus Notes or another similar group scheduling tool, you have probably experienced the same thing that I have when trying to coordinate a meeting with a group of busy professionals. It can be like HERDING CATS! One email after another rotates through my in-box as we try to figure out a date and time that will work. Today I am excited to say, I have found a tool that will help!

GREEN Business Practices - Click To Read Article
RecycleReduce -- Reuse -- Recycle. We have heard those words for quite some time now. Some of us take those words more seriously than others, however, did you know that by going "green" with your business you can: * help the environment * market to a different segment of the population, and * help your bottom line? In, Saving money and the planet - green can be good for bottom line, AllBusiness.com talks about ways that you can easily implement green strategies into your business, office and travel. There were a lot of things we were already doing, but the article gave me a few more that we should consider.

Getting Things Done! The Stress Free Way! - Click To Read Article
Is it possible to really live a life that is stress free and focused on what matters? It is! But you have to be willing to make some choices along the way. How do you even know if you are focusing where you should? How do you know that you are defining things the "right" way. You cannot live your priorities if you don't know what they are. I'd like to share a way you can work through the process.

Filing So You Can Find it Again - Click To Read Article
According to the National Association of Professional Organizers, it costs $120 in labor to track down a misplaced document or $250 in labor to recreate it. YUCK! Filing systems that work with the way you work are critical to cost management. The following tips will aid you in setting up systems to meet your needs.

Even When It Is Quiet. . . We Should Listen - Click To Read Article
It is about midnight here and I am inspired! How well do you listen? I mean, REALLY listen? To yourself, your surroundings, others... Maybe you should try the test my son and I did tonight. It has given me some new insights I'll share now.

E-Mail: Formatting and spacing make a difference - Click To Read Article
When you are writing your emails, are you considering the reader's ease of reading? Think about the types of emails that you respond to quickly vs. the kind you put off until later. Are there any commonalities to the ease of reading? I bet in many instances there are.

Email Inbox Management - Read it Backwards! - Click To Read Article
Many of us keep all of our to-dos in our email inbox. 100s of emails sitting there waiting for some kind of action. Does that describe you? It describes many people! New emails come every day and the things that you don't want to forget continue on down the electronic pile. You even have instances where that really important thing gets missed and you are really frustrated with yourself. So, what do you do??

Don't Recreate it Find that Computer File Quickly - Click To Read Article
Can you find the files on your computer, or do you find it easier to just re-create the document? Whether you work at a Fortune 500 company, a small to medium-sized business, run a business out of your home, or run your household, vast amounts of electronic information are now part of the typical workspace. "eClutter" affects productivity and increases stress in much the same way that paper clutter does. Here are 6 tips to help you find what you need on your computer.

Does Lack of Confidence Impact Your Productivity? - Click To Read Article
We all have those days. You know the kind I'm talking about. The days where nothing seems to go right and no matter what you do, things seem to fall apart. The day where others are telling you that you can't more than you can. Your ability to pick yourself up and start again during those days is hugely important to your ability to make something really extraordinary happen.

Defeat Procrastination and Make More Cash! - Click To Read Article
In order for any business to grow, they have to TAKE ACTION! This can be really difficult for some. Procrastination is the #1 reason small businesses stall and do not grow as quickly as they would like. Let's put an end of that today! Here are some great techniques to defeat your procrastination.

Delegate Today! - Click To Read Article
There are a number of things that you can do to increase your profits and have hours in your day that you enjoy and prosper! Even if you do not have employees, there are things you can do to delegate activities. Don't let activities you cannot stand or are not money makers chew up your time! Today, I'll talk about social networking.

Delegate! Do you know how? - Click To Read Article
Delegating is a skill that is very difficult for many professionals to master. Either they do not give enough responsibility the assistants that they have, or they micromanage them way too much. Successful business people are able to empower skilled individuals to handle administrative tasks, while they focus on keeping current clients, growing relationships and reaching a new client base. So, why is delegation so hard? Well, for many it is because the skill has not been developed. You have to learn how to delegate just like any other business skill. Here are some great web resources to help you do just that!

Concentration and Sleep an Important Combination - Click To Read Article
Do you ever have a day where you find that you find you are staring into space more than actually getting things done? Or, maybe you have to read a sentence over and over and it still does not make sense. Or, maybe you have headaches or debilitating migraines that make it difficult for you to think. If you experience any kind of concentration or productivity challenges, you may have issues with your sleep. If you don't get the right amount and kind of sleep, you can suffer from a number issues.

Business Owner Has Cleared the Clutter and the Stress to Find a More Productive Business - Click To Read Article
At one time, Cathy considered herself an organized person, but life has happened since then. Having twins and starting 2 different businesses has changed all that. Even still, she felt she had it pretty together and was progressing positively with her career But in her husband's eyes, Cathy's strategies did not work. He saw documents, products, toys and boxes stacked in corners of her office and a frequently time-challenged wife. “He had a mission - he has been trying to organize me for the past year. He would get frustrated and I would get frustrated,” Cathy said, referring to her husband. He had tried several approaches including rearranging things himself, but nothing would stick.

Are You Financially Responsible With Your Business? - Click To Read Article
Where do you spend your time? Where you choose to spend your time directly reflects the financial outcome for your business. Today, I'll focus on ways that you can evaluate and adjust how to spend your time so that you can positively impact your bottom line.

Are You Frozen By Fear? - Click To Read Article
I was watching a movie the other day -- well, really it was background noise as I did other things -- and a part caught my attention. The character was teaching someone how to look at their situation. She says: Fear is cold – it freezes us up Fear of performance Fear of what people will think Fear of doing something wrong Fear of anything When we let go of your fears we touch our souls. I thought that this was put in a really interesting way. We get paralyzed by so many things. Often we don't even understand that we are frozen.

Are You a "Control Freak?" Be Careful! It Can Derail Your Success - Click To Read Article
Do you want to be successful with your business? Do you delegate? No? Why not? If you are a "control freak" you could be costing your business its success. That is the theme of Melanie Benson Strick's latest article "How Control-Freak-It Is Can Derail Your Success". (http://tinyurl.com/ctrlFreak) Melanie raises some awesome points about how you cannot do it all yourself and do it well. As the picture to the right shows, this juggling lady is already losing some balance because that food is about to spill all over the baby on the floor! Keep reading for ideas on how you can do more in less time and be more successful!

9 Tips for Effective Telephone Use - Click To Read Article
Today we are busier than ever. Our systems need to work with us to make the most of our time. Telephone and Voicemail usage has increased and being able to effectively manage the tools is what this article is about. Here are 9 tips to help you make the most of this great tool.

6 Strategies to Get More From Your Planner - Click To Read Article
Even with the influx of Blackberries, smart phones and Palm, many people still stick with their paper planners. There is something about writing on paper that makes them comfortable and pleased. If you love your paper too, check out these strategies to make the most of your planning tool.

10 Tips to Keep Your Mobile Office Ready for "On the Go" - Click To Read Article
If you work in an industry that requires you to work out of your vehicle, make sure you can find what you need in a flash. There are many mobile work centers available to purchase, or you can simply use zip lock bags and store pens, stapler, paper clips -- whatever you need to do work on the road. Here are 10 tips to keep your mobile office ready for "On the Go."


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