Get Organized for the New Year

Well, another year is at its end and it is time to think about what we will do differently in 2008.

If you have been following our blog, you may remember that I do not make resolutions; I make promises to myself. Last year my promise was to drink more water. I was successful in doing that and lost a few pounds in the process. This year I will promise to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night, something I cannot remember achieving in my lifetime. I have discovered recently that I do function better with adequate rest and the clincher was when I heard that insufficient sleep causes weight gain. I wonder if I sleep more, if I could eat more without getting fat. No such luck!

What does all this have to do with getting organized? Drinking more water was about setting a measurable goal and creating a schedule for achieving it. That is a basic step in completing any project you undertake whether it is cleaning out a garage or organizing your underwear.

Getting more sleep is about time management. I do not plan to stop doing anything I am currently doing to find that extra hour or two of sleep. So I have to be more efficient in the use of my time. Gaining time to do the things that are important to you is one of the great benefits of improving organization.

January has been declared “Get Organized Month”. Pick a project that helps you improve your organization and find some time to do the things that matter.

Beverly & Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

Organizing a Winter Car Kit

We are enjoying temperatures in the sixties and seventies while Colorado and Missouri are enduring crippling ice and snow. It won’t be long before this fickle climate puts on its winter face and treats us to a little slush. It can come quickly at any time now. If you have lived in this area long enough, you have seen holidays that felt sub-tropical and holidays with snow on the ground. So now is the time to think about supplementing your car emergency kit with a few items to see you through the winter months.

Here are a few items we suggest:

• De-icer for windshields and locks


• A small shovel


• Kitty litter to provide traction


• Water


• A warm blanket


• Insulated gloves


• Fold-up boots


• Nonperishable snacks


• Windshield scraper


• Whisk broom
  

If you do not already have a car emergency kit add:

• Battery cables


• Tire inflater


• Roadside flares


• Heavy duty flashlight

Organize the items in a waterproof bag, ice chest or plastic tote. You will feel safer on the road because you are prepared for winter car troubles.

Beverly & Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

Tips for Organized Packing

“I’ll Be Home for Christmas” is a song many will be singing in the next few weeks. Others will head for a destination holiday that includes sunny climes or fun winter activities. No matter where you are going, travel these days poses a host of problems. Carefully thinking about what you really need and organizing clothing and personal items for convenience, easy portability and access can minimize many of them.

It starts with planning and takes into consideration where you are going, how long you will be gone and what activities are planned while you are at your destination. Once you have those particulars in mind, gather the clothes you will take with you. Some of the best advice I have been given is that once you have decided what to take, put a third of it back in your closet. Cull out those items that don’t fit a selected color palette (usually neutral tans and browns or black or blue). Retain a few accessories to add pizzazz and splashes of color to to your basic wardrobe. Make sure you have comfortable shoes, serviceable undergarments and necessary toiletries, emergency products and prescription drugs. Many packing lists for travel by different modes of transportation and different destinations can be found on the web. Some of them are:
www.onebag.com
www.traveltime.org
www.backpackeurope.com

Once you have gathered the items you are taking with you, it is time to pack your bags. Make sure the bags are sturdy and close securely and they are a weight you can lift from the car, the airport carousel or haul upstairs at your relatives house. Fewer bags are better. There is limited space no matter where you are going and, unless you have personal porters, it is a hassle to lug around multiple bags.

You now have another decision to make. How will you store your clothes in the bag? Will you roll, fold or bundle? Rolling works well for t-shirts and flexible fabrics. Jeans, on the other hand, may take up more room rolled than they do folded. As a general rule, minimize wrinkling in soft-sided luggage by rolling and packing tightly. In rigid frame luggage, fold or use the bundle method. The bundle method minimizes the number of folds, thus potential creases, and has some of the cushioning value of the roll method. Bundling involves laying clothes across the suitcase with larger items on the bottom and then folding them tightly around a core bundle of clothing and accessories. A thorough illustrated explanation of packing using the bundle method can be found in The Packing Book by Judith Gilford available at www.amazon.,com.

Check off the items on your list as you pack and tuck a copy in an easily accessible place in case luggage is lost. It also will serve as a handy reference when you evaluate the usefulness of the items you chose to take with you and refine your list for future excursions.

Remember to keep prescription medications and travel documents, and other absolutely essential items with you at all time. If luggage is lost or delayed you do not want to be without these necessities.

Make travel easier by:

• Consulting expert sites for lists and travel tips
• Taking as few bags as you can
• Making a packing list and checking off items as you pack them
• Using a packing method that helps maximize space and minimize wrinkles
• Keeping the packed weight of bags to a level you can comfortably lift and tote
• Refining your packing list after each trip to eliminate things you did not need and add things you wished you had included.
• Rolling with the punches when the unexpected happens

Happy wanderings!

Beverly & Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

Keys to Organizing a Speech or Presentation - Step 3: Present

Step 3: Present

You have planned what you are going to communicate and you have prepared the message and the media you will use to deliver the information. Now it is time to stand before your audience and deliver the presentation. You are knowledgeable and prepared and now it is time to pay attention to the aspects of the process that will make you a successful and memorable speaker. Nobody wants to CAVE when the audience is waiting to hear what you have to say, so pay attention to:
C – Content
A – Appearance
V – Voice
E – Empathic Connection

Content
The facts and figures you have prepared are the body of your presentation, but it also needs a compelling beginning and a memorable close. Make sure the audience knows who you are and why they should listen to what you have to say. Your identity and credibility are important components of the content. Once you have introduced yourself, express gratitude for being asked to present then start with something that grabs attention. This might be a startling or mysterious statement or a question that engages the audience. It might also be an anecdote or story of a dramatic incident. It should be relatable to the information you are going to present. At the close of the information succinctly summarize important points and loop back to your initial premise. You may also want to challenge the audience to act or you may want to offer inspiration.

Appearance
Most of us do not need to be told to comb our hair and wash and iron the clothes we will wear to present. We know that appearance is important, but we may not realize that appearance is more than neat hair and clean clothes. Hair and attire needs to be appropriate and not draw attention from the words you speak. It should be tailored to the climate and the audience. The expression on your face is a very important part of appearance. The goal is to look pleasant and approachable, so no scowling. Hide nervousness by refusing to bite nails, wring hands or pace prior to speaking---no matter how overwhelming the need to do so. Before standing before the audience, stand in front of a mirror and check your appearance from the front, rear and sides. Make sure there is nothing caught in your teeth and your clothes hang correctly. Smile at yourself for good measure.

Voice
Voice includes speaking loudly enough and articulating words so they are understandable. It is also important to vary the tempo and modulation of your voice to maintain audience attention. If someone is sleeping in the third row, it is time to pick up the pace. Speaking softly can also help focus audience attention on important information. Inject your voice with excitement and speak in a confident manner.

Empathic Connection
All the preparation and attention to delivery will do no good if the audience is unwilling to listen. They need to like you, value what you have to impart and be ready to actively listen. Establishing an empathic connection with the audience is extremely important. The connection begins when you walk out in front of them (appearance) and builds as they judge your demeanor, hear your message (content) and evaluate your respect for and interest in your subject and in them (voice). Some additional ways to promote empathic connection are to share personal stories that establish you as colleague or fellow human, and to accurately express the concerns and hopes of the group to whom you are speaking.

So now you are ready to address the world. Just remember to Plan! Prepare! Present!


Beverly & Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net