Doing It Differently in 2010

Everyone is writing about setting goals and resolutions for 2010. As an organization and productivity expert, I can’t help but chime in on this!

Over and over I see business professionals struggling to stay organized; to manage the e-mails messages that multiply exponentially throughout the day; and to stay on top of their ever growing “Must Do” list of responsibilities.

Most fail.

Miserably.

So, in an effort to get you to think “out of the box” for the New Year, I’m going to ask that you NOT set the normal New Year’s Resolutions.

Rather, I’m to share some radical suggestions with you:

1. Set boundaries – in relationships, in communications, with finances

2. Set priorities – this will help you decide what – and what NOT – to focus on

3. Set a timer – to keep you focused on your task at hand (contrary to popular thought studies prove we are less effective when we multi-task)

4. Set an alarm – get up an hour earlier to exercise, read, or create something of value for the world

5. Set down the phone while you’re driving – not talking, no texting, no reading e-mail

6. Set a schedule for being in contact with your clients – regularly (especially now, they need to hear they are important, they’ve made a wise investment with you, and that you give a damn)

7. Set aside time for reflection and silence – it really matters in our chatter-filled lives

8. Set out some boxes of stuff for Goodwill – decluttering your house and/or your office provides much needed breathing space and room for creativity (“have nothing in your space that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful”)

9. Set your eyes on something amazing – artwork, nature, people – it does something wonderful to your brain

10. Settle in the knowledge that sometimes good is good enough – but next time set your time aside to create something that makes people go “WOW!”

Happy New Year, everyone!