Welcome to my newsletter! Its mission is to offer you some helpful organizing and productivity tips, share useful tools, fun stuff, and a fair amount random Anne insight based on whatever shiny objects I happen to be chasing at the time. I hope you enjoy it!
I had my kids fairly late in life. I was 35 when my daughter was born and 37 when my son came along 16 months later. That’s not uncommon in this day and age, but still, my age had many unexpected ramifications. 1) I was working at an executive level with two people in diapers at home. I wasn’t a 20-something, and I was tired. All. The. Time. As time moved forward (so fast!) they became teens as I entered perimenopause.
Here in my 50s, I've seen my peers get bad diseases, need surgery, and sadly passing away too young way more than could’ve expected. [I lost 4 last year, not even to COVID] I’ve been blessed with great health all these years. Like everyone, I’ve lost and found the same 15 pounds many times. Gone from one extreme of fitness to another, perfectly correlated to how much free time I had available. Exercise and I have been good friends, but not lovers. I’ve learned its value as an antidepressant and for weight-loss support. I’ve noticed that if I get nothing done all day except workout then I feel like, well, at least I got that done. The reasons I exercise have changed over the years.
Sure, I liked it when my belly was flatter, and my arms had a little more definition. Compliments are nice. But now, my #1 reason for putting on my sneakers, getting outside, or back on the bike or the mat is that I have plans for my next 30 years. I want to travel. I want to hike. I want to push my grandchildren in their strollers. I want to stack the deck the best I can so that I can be around until my children don’t need me anymore. I want to grow old gracefully. I want to be strong, energetic, flexible and calm. Exercise, no matter how much or how little, no matter the type, supports that goal. So even when I don’t get that workout in, I try again the next day. I give myself grace for doing the best I can and I remember why it matters. Then the workout becomes easy.
So that’s a long story to talk about INTENTIONALITY, and it can be applied to everything you do, and make everything easier to stick to.
Why do you want to organize the pantry? SO I KNOW WHAT I HAVE AND SPEND LESS MONEY BUYING THE SAME THINGS
Why do you need to identify your biggest priorities every week? SO I STOP WASTING TIME AND GET THE RIGHT THINGS DONE.
Why do you need to get your paper piles under control? SO I CAN FIND WHAT I NEED AND I’M NOT MISSING ANYTHING IMPORTANT.
With any project/task take a moment to identify the why. If you can’t identify a why for something, that might just be something you don’t really need to do. Take it off the list.
Product Recommendations of the Month
World’s Greatest Pencil Sharpener
This has nothing to do with what your why might be, but as the family headed back to school, I was once again reminded of what a brilliant pencil sharpener this is. Originally recommended by my son’s 4th grade teacher, this bad boy sharpens a brand new Ticonderoga in less than 5 seconds. I’m not kidding, I’ve timed it.
Dolly
You hear it all the time now: “It’s the Uber of……” If you aren’t familiar, Dolly.com is the uber of moving stuff for you. You may have had a Dolly helper bring you something from the Container Store, or Costco, but you can also hire one yourself to move anything around for you. Bought a couch on Facebook? Need to get your old couch to your nephew’s apartment. Get out your Dolly app and find some muscle with a truck the same day.
What I’m Consuming
Joshua Becker is a great evangelist of minimalism. Not the kind of sparse, tiny-house, no clutter minimalism, but rather a ‘less is so much more’ philosophy. I get so much out of any content of his I follow -- and he has a lot. I recently enjoyed this video on his YouTube channel.
Childhood Unbound, by Ron Taffel. Heard him speak when my now teenaged daughter was in the 1st grade, and recently picked up his book again as she starts 11th. A parenting book for the 21st century for sure. Taffel has tremendous insight on raising what he calls “the free-est” generation. How to parent in a world where your child essentially has access to EVERYTHING in it. A great read.
News About StepOne
Speaking of teens, I did a short interview with the very cool parenting platform Your Teen Mag about productivity for teens and tweens. You can watch it in any of these places below.
Need some help getting your time, tasks or spaces in order? Let’s talk!
COVID Protocols
I am thrilled to report that I am fully vaccinated! I am continuing to serve both organizing and productivity clients in-person and virtually. When working in person, I will respectfully follow whatever protocols make you feel most comfortable. There are also many instances where I work independently in a space, conferring with clients only at the start and end of a session or via phone or video. Virtual organizing and productivity consulting are excellent alternatives, with clients working hands on with step-by-step guidance from me along the way. Questions about working together? Send me an email, let’s chat!
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