It’s time to set up a Simple Action System. This is where you will gather all of the papers that require you “do” something…make a call, pay a bill, send a card, schedule an event. Having just one place that you can go to for these things will change your relationship with paper AND with getting things done.
To put together your system you will need the following items…
Okay, maybe that is a little extreme, but the reality is that you CAN have a filing system in place that will change your relationship with paper. You CAN enjoy handling, filing and retrieving papers. Thanks to the magnificent Seth Odam and his brilliant creation FreedomFiler. FreedomFiler is the only all-encompassing, self-purging filing system. Do you need even more reason than that?!
Okay…
Here are some simple tips to get started:
Last week I was preparing for a road trip back home to Salt Lake for two weeks, including a 4-day camping excursion. As I Mind Mapped packing the car for 3 people & one sweet little rat, the list began to get pretty long.
Needless to say I knew that the car was going to be FULL, but there was not much I could do about that. So I used the Clear & SIMPLE Systems SEE IT. MAP IT. DO IT. and S.T.A.C.K.S.© to ensure organization and peace throughout the process. Many times in life this is reality, which is why our systems are not just designed to clear excess, unsupportive stuff, but also to “MAP” and “Simplify.”
Do you have a project that has been waiting for you, stressing you or just bugging you to get it done? We have found that most people do not enjoy even thinking about the projects that need to get done, much less taking action. We understand why. First of all, there is always too much to do in a day and too little time. Then you add the overwhelm from all of the stuff in all the areas. Lastly, most people just don’t know where to start, how to get through the project and then how to keep it up. It’s a lot to handle!
We love teaching people how! This is why SEE IT. MAP IT. DO IT. © is such a powerful system. It walks us through each of the steps from start to finish – teaching the organizing skill – and cuts down on the time and energy it takes to get it done.
So why not find out for yourself why the Clear & SIMPLE Way is different. Set aside 30 minutes to get started and go through the following steps. We promise you’ll find joy, clarity, and freedom! Who knows, you might even get one project done and want to dive into another one.
Download our Systems Card to guide you even deeper through this process.
Get pumped and check that project off your list! We’d love to hear how you feel on the other side…
Getting things done together,
Marla, Kate & Team
SEE IT. MAP IT. DO IT. © and S.T.A.C.K.S. © are property of Clear & Simple, LLC. All Rights Reserved
It’s time to go on vacation, yay! And then you are flooded with overwhelm. The vital details for the trip are scattered everywhere! The confirmations are in your email. The schedule of events is on your calendar. Notifications of flight delays come to you by text, if at all. Reminder to check-in for flights is sent to your email. When someone needs a copy of your flight info or itinerary, you have to go searching to find it in order to forward it. And so on…
When we first heard about TripIt, we were ecstatic…but could it really make things that much easier?! We found out it helps more than we imagined. After you book a trip, you simply forward the confirmation emails to plans@tripit.com and the system builds an itinerary for you. If you make changes, simply forward that confirmation email and TripIt updates the plan for you. Once the itinerary is built, you can go in and add, change, and/or delete things. If you prefer to not send your emails, you can input the itinerary yourself.
Our favorite things are…
For more information and to download it for your mobile device go HERE. Happy traveling!
Marla
My entire adult life I have fantasized about having a summer off. I have dreamed of open time to play, to be in nature, to be a kid again. This year my dream is coming true. At the age of 58, I have lots of open space on my calendar. And I know how fast the summer will fly by. So I am taking today to go through the See It and Map It steps for my summer. I invite you to do the same.
Marla Dee
I recently read the blog The single most important thing you can do to simplify your summer and I was deeply inspired to get clear on what I wanted most. Here is a short excerpt:
What did you long for most from your childhood summers?
For me, it was freedom. Delicious freedom from predictable schooldays. Freedom to lay in the sun, devour ice cream, and float for hours in a turquoise pool.
My summer longings have not changed much. A sun-drenched break from the routine sounds too good to be true, honestly. As a working mom, however, I know poolside paradise will elude me. Instead, the season will welcome busyness.
From where I sit, summer’s two major opponents are sky-high expectations and the pressure to “do it all.” Corporate socials and family get-togethers. Planning a picture-perfect getaway or entertaining kids from dawn ‘til dusk (and then some). Then there’s laundry and groceries and shouts of “who left the screen door open again?!”
The tension is palpable. Often times, our knee-jerk reaction is to purely survive. Sanity, money, rest—these are common sacrifices on the altar called Summer.
But believe it or not, a simpler more satisfying summer is within reach, regardless of our individual situations. The pursuit is straightforward and anyone can start today.
It boils down to pausing before the chaos and tuning into your desires.
Time for the SEE IT. MAP IT. & DO IT. Steps!
If you could choose a word or theme for this summer, what would it be? My summer theme is Summer Sabbatical.
Sit down with your loved ones and ask what do you most want to do for –
My choice for fun is 2 motorcycle trips with my man Bob, for travel I am taking a road trip to my home town of Bozeman Montana for my 40 year high school reunion, for projects I am creating a family picture wall in our new home, and for relaxation I am sitting on our deck in the evenings to wind down and breathe in the sweet country air.
Now take your map it list and put those things on the calendar. Make them happen by putting them first.
Get more on the Clear & SIMPLE Systems here
Get our Top 10 Tips for Summer here
Your Guide Marla Dee. I love teaching the Clear & Simple Way to live free of clutter and get organized at last.
“JOY is the juice that makes life worth living!” Marla Dee
I am inviting you to stop, breathe in, open, feel into this moment and ask – Where is the joy inside me? In this moment I am filled to overflowing with joy. It is early on Christmas eve morning. I am in my comfy wicker chair, a soft blanket in my lap and gazing at our sweet christmas tree with sparkly lights. My heart is breaking wide open as I feel this huge love I have for my dear man, my kids, my family far away, my many friends and circles. I am absolutely overcome with the huge waves of joy that keep washing through me. I want so much to share this feeling with everyone I love and with you!
Here are some favorite quotes on Joy – I invite you to choose one and let it come to life inside you today. Let the joy in your life be a gift. I would love to hear from you.
What if the key to a truly rich season was to simply feel the JOY? Joy is right here, right now. I need only stop, breathe and open up to feeling… Oh, there it is.
NOTE – Picture is my sweet daughter Jessica when she was 8 years old – she is now 19. Where does the time go? I love you Jessica!!!
In these fast-paced times, it is easy to forget that I am in charge of my life. I am the one choosing who and what gets my attention. It is not my family, my boss, my country or the world that determines my path. It is up to me. The beginning of the year is a wondrous time to reconnect with my center and create practices that will support me living true to myself. The simpler the practice, the better.
Here are six simple practices to support you reclaiming your space, your day and your precious life.
1. Simplify your choices. This year choose just one small, one medium and one large project for each season. For example, your purse (or wallet), the kitchen counter and the bedroom. Rather than carrying the stress of all the clutter—of “too much to do”—all the time. The lists can keep you awake at night and rob you of health and peace of mind. By consciously choosing which projects you will take on, you allow yourself to release all the others. They can wait. Also, each season has its own energy. You can tap into winter and ask what projects would feel good to do now.
2. Honor your bedroom. The bedroom is the most important room in your home. You spend more time there than anywhere else. The purpose of the bedroom is healing, rest and intimacy. Yet, this room often becomes the dumping ground for clutter or distractions. Take time to ask yourself: How do I want my bedroom to look and feel? What colors, textures and furniture do I want? It’s wonderful to wake up surrounded by beauty and end the day nurtured by your sweet space. Then practice keeping this space feeling sweet & sacred.
3. Choose the top three each day. The simplest and most powerful way to reclaim your day is to take 5-10 minutes in the morning and ask: What are the three most important things for me to do today? These are the three things that only you can do and that you know in your heart and gut are most important. Write them down on a 3×5 card, your smart phone or a post-it note. A shift happens in the physical plane when you write things down. Then do the three things first. Give them your commitment and attention. Ask the Universe to support you.
4. Open and close your day. Commit this year to consciously taking 30 minutes in the morning and evening to open and close your day. Rather than diving into action the moment you open your eyes or collapsing into bed when you are exhausted, take time to transition your body, heart, brain and spirit. Follow the natural cycle of Earth. The sun slowly rises and then sets. You can create your own rituals. A morning cup of tea and sitting quietly while your body and brain wake up is a heavenly way to begin your day. Soft jammies, a comfy chair and a good book make for a divine ending no matter what age you are. What do you want? Make a list of your possible rituals and try them out.
5. Get a buddy. Change and growth are not meant to be done alone. Also it is just more fun with a buddy. Commit to getting together at least once a month for a year to help each other. Choose the project that would mean the most to you and be amazed at how much more you get done as a team.
6. Choose a theme. Stay connected with your self throughout the year with a single word that holds your intention. (Examples: trust, hope, play, action.) Then enjoy noticing how the Universe makes this real for you. We would love to have you share your word with us.
Our invitation is to choose one practice and let it deepen your life this year. Make 2016 the year you get to know yourself better (or again).
Marla, Kate & Team
This article was originally written for and seen in The Catalyst Magazine – get the full article here