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Achieve Results at Home, At Work, and In Life
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 Hello, and welcome to the new subscribers!
'Tis the season! My gift to you is this month's feature article, which is a survival guide to help you make the most of the season and enjoy your holiday experience. I posted it to my blog and received many positive comments, so thought I'd share it with my loyal subscribers.
Speaking of loyalty, I want to thank you for being a subscriber to this ezine. If you are on this subscription list, regardless of whether you are a client, colleague, or friend, you are part of the LMOS online community! Thank you for your support. I look forward to continuing our relationship in 2010.
Happy Holidays ~
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Dec 21, 2009 - Lisa will be presenting DECIDE to be Organized to employees of The Osborne Association in Beacon, NY.
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January 19, 2010 - Lisa will be presenting DECIDE to Be Organized! 21st Century Tools for the Organized Women Entrepreneur for the The Alliance of Hudson Valley Women Business Owners in White Plains, NY.
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January 22, 2010 - Lisa will be presenting Sexual Harassment Awareness & Prevention Training for employees of SUNY Orange in Newburgh, NY.
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February 9 - March 16, 2010 - Lisa will be conducting the next DECIDE to be Organized Online Group Coaching Program, a 6-week teleclass series, with live calls on Tuesday evenings (and recorded for those that can't make it live and want to do it as a home study course!), for those that want to achieve results at home, at work, and in life in an interactive group setting. Click here for more information.
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February 26, 2010 - Lisa will be presenting Organizing & Time Management for the Family Caregiver Program in Middletown, NY.
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March 15, 2010 - Lisa will be presenting a DECIDE to be Organized workshop for Chabad of Mid-Hudson Valley in Poughkeepsie, NY.
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March 26, 2010 - Lisa will be presenting Ask the Organizer for the Family Caregiver Program in Middletown, NY.
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"The only true gift is a portion of yourself" ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson |
Managing the Chaos of the Busy Holiday Season: A Survival Guide
Overwhelmed just thinking about the upcoming holiday season? Relax. If you take a little time to plan your holiday season, it will be more enjoyable for you and your family! Focus on practicing good organizational techniques and time management principles. Here are some tips to make the holidays enjoyable and the new year start off in a positive manner.
Setting Your Goals for the Holiday Season
- We are pulled in so many different directions during the holidays: travel, family gatherings, parties and social events, shopping, baking, decorating, etc. As yourself: What do I want? This question is an invaluable guide for the holiday season. Think about what you want to do, as opposed to what you think others expect of you. Decide on your goals for the holiday season. Do you want to spend quality time with family? Do you want to try your hand at hosting or baking? Or, do you want to relax and enjoy quiet time? Achieving your goals and creating a meaningful holiday season requires that you have smart plans in place, especially if you want to enjoy the season without overindulging or stressing out.
- It is difficult to keep all of the mental clutter associated with the holidays in our head! Keep a 'holiday central' notebook or create a memo in your handheld device. List items you want to do (notice I didn't say need to do!), gifts to be purchased, people to send cards to, etc. Create a holiday budget so you know what you want to spend and stick to it.
Dealing with Holiday Schedule Overload
 All the things you want to do over the holiday season can bring pressure if you don't bring your wants and needs into alignment and into a manageable schedule. Holiday joy comes from balance and choosing the activities that are fulfilling for you. Avoid taking on too much at this time of year. If you're feeling too pressured, look for activities that you can reschedule until after the holidays, delegate, or say no to. Recognize that you can't do everything, especially if you want to enjoy your holiday season! Ask yourself: What is the worst thing that will happen if I don't do this?
- Identify and avoid triggers. If going to certain events or seeing certain family or friends stresses you out and always ruins your holiday experience, avoid that activity. If you must attend, shorten your visit. If you are watching what you eat, plan ahead by eating a small healthy meal at home, so you won't be as hungry at the event. Or plan out what you will eat at the event, allowing yourself a few treats that you only get to have once per year and stick to your plan.
- If you regularly exercise, don't stop over the holidays! Carve out time for exercise, even if it is not as much time as you usually do. The holidays are stressful enough - don't miss out on a great form of natural stress relief!
Holiday Decorations
- Pull out those holiday decorations (yes, all of them!). Take stock of what you will definitely use, and donate the rest in time for a family in need to use the decorations this season. Those decorations that are really just sentimental, but will never be used, should be stored in your Memory Box, not with holiday decorations.
- Do you need to go all out with decorating this year? Maybe you want to scale back? Ask yourself if you still want to decorate as much as you used to, or are doing it out of habit or others' expectations of you. If so, then give yourself permission to keep it simple!
Holiday Cards
- Buy your stamps in bulk or online at www.usps.com. Check that you have current addresses for everyone on your holiday card list. If your contacts are stored on your computer, you can print labels.
 Use a card sending service, such as www.SendOutCards.com.
- Consider sending New Year's or Valentine's Day cards instead. It's unique and can be an unexpected treat to the receiver!
- Just don't do it! Don't send paper versions of holiday cards at all if you don't want to. Use email and social media sites to send holiday wishes, or pick up the phone and call special people in your life.
Holiday Baking & Cooking
- Prep your kitchen for holiday time. Purge any food items that your family is not eating (if they have not expired, donate to a nearby food pantry!) and make a shopping list of what you will need for holiday cooking and baking. Choose recipes in your favorite cookbooks or online, and start making lists of holiday menus you want to prepare.
- Plan out your baking and cooking time on your calendar as an appointment so you take it seriously and stick to it. Otherwise, you will find yourself cooking and baking at 3 in the morning the night before the occasion!
Gift Giving & Receiving
 When gift giving, keep in mind that more isn't necessarily better -- sometimes, it's just more!
- Considering regifting. Yes, I said it! Look at gifts you have received and have not used yet, or gifts you bought and stored throughout the year. Consider sharing some of these gifts with those on your list if the gift is a good match. Don't feel guilty! It's the thought that counts, not how you came by it.
- Think outside the box. Try to give gifts that won't just become clutter. Give perishables (make a favorite food item for a friend that always comments on your great cooking), gifts of experience (horseback riding for that niece that loves horses), gifts of time (baby sitting for the couple that never gets to go out alone), etc. Be creative! Consider only giving gifts to children on your list, or deciding to donate to charities in people's names instead of buying presents. Just make sure to agree to do this with others on your list so you don't offend anyone come gift exchange time!
- Ask people to be specific with what they want and need, and you do the same when writing out your wish list.
- Let go of whatever gifts you receive that will just become clutter in your life, and do so without guilt! If you can't return it, donate it or give it to a friend that is likely to enjoy it.
The payoff to all of this planning? You won't have post-holiday regret syndrome! You'll be calmer and more available to enjoy the company of your family and friends, and you'll start the new year feeling empowered. |
Copyright 2009 © Lisa Montanaro
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEBSITE?
You can, as long as you use this complete statement:
Copyright 2009. Lisa Montanaro, "The Solutions Expert," is Principal of LM Organizing Solutions, LLC, a professional services firm created in 2002 that offers professional organizing, business and life coaching, and motivational speaking to individuals and organizations. Lisa publishes the monthly "DECIDE™ to be Organized" e-zine for the general public, and "Next Level Business Success" e-zine for professional organizers and entrepreneurs. Subscribe today at www.LMOrganizingSolutions.com. Lisa also publishes the Decide to be Organized Blog at www.DecideToBeOrganized.com. Through LMOS, Lisa helps people deal with the issues that block personal and professional change and growth. To explore how LMOS can improve your home or work environment, or help take your business to the next level, contact Lisa at (845) 988-0183 or by e-mail at Lisa@LMOrganizingSolutions.com. |
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| New Audio Program - From Here to There: The Path to Getting Organized
If you're looking for a simple place to start your organizing journey, this jam-packed 70-minute audio presentation recorded before a live audience is just what you need. Learn organizing tips to assist you in becoming and staying organized at home, at work, and in life. Develop smart, efficient systems that are easy to follow for both packrats and neat-nicks!
Includes an overview of the general principles of organizing, overcoming clutter, paper management techniques, record retention guidelines, filing systems, email management, and time management. Lisa's upbeat, entertaining style will have you learning and laughing at the same time!
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Lisa Montanaro, "The Solutions Expert," is Principal of LM Organizing Solutions, LLC, a professional services firm created in 2002 that offers professional organizing, business and life coaching, and motivational speaking to individuals and organizations. Lisa publishes the monthly "DECIDE™ to be Organized" e-zine for the general public, and "Next Level Business Success" e-zine for professional organizers and entrepreneurs. Lisa also publishes the DECIDE to be Organized Blog. Through LMOS, Lisa helps people deal with the issues that block personal and professional change and growth. To explore how LMOS can improve your home or work environment, or help take your business to the next level, contact Lisa at (845) 988-0183 or by e-mail at Lisa@LMOrganizingSolutions.com. |
Contact Information
Lisa Montanaro, JD, CPO
Certified Professional Organizer®, Business & Life Coach, Motivational Speaker
LM Organizing Solutions, LLC ™
PO Box 113
Warwick, NY 10090
(845) 988-0183
www.LMOrganizingSolutions.com
Lisa@LMOrganizingSolutions.com |
You're receiving this email because of your relationship with LM Organizing Solutions, LLC. We respect your privacy and know you're busy. You may unsubscribe by clicking the link below if you no longer wish to receive this e-zine.
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