Entrepreneuress 101: The art of organization & my filofax obsession

I am not a huge believer in New Years resolutions. I am much more focused on making small and deliberate lifestyle changes. While the new year always provides a fresh start, I try to take that opportunity every single day. When I work with my clients, I always try to come up with an outline for a daily action plan for them to get things scheduled into their day and incorporate rituals.

More often than not, I hear excuses like “I got so busy” or “I didn’t have time this week but maybe I’ll get to it next week”. This breaks my heart because as we all know, we all have the same 24 hours in our days. I get that life happens and we can't plan everything but I know many people who credit their wild success to strategically organizing their time. There is no need to be “busy”, a very popular misconception,  it is possible to work smarter not harder. Read the book“The 4-hour work week” by Tim Ferris. 
It's important to practice the art of designing your day. This helps you to be more effective with your time and your schedule. 

I know a lot of people who effectively manage their calendar on their computer or Google cal. I personally believe that writing things down is a smarter method. I like to keep my schedule written down and right in front of me. It has proven to be the best method for me to write things down, design my day before it even starts and execute accordingly. 

Do you have a time organization system? Or are you running around letting your day run you?

MY GLAM-SHUI TIP: Invest in a pretty planner that you LOVE to carry at all times and enjoy designing your day!

Taking the time out to plan your days, your goals, your plans, helps you to be in charge of your life. To see where you are being effective in your life, where you can make improvements and be held acceptable to keep your commitments. If you have a to do list written out, it makes you less quick to blow off your priorities and engagements than you would be if you didn’t have it staring at you in the face. 

You should be the designer of your life! The best way to be sure you keep to your organizer is if you have one that you love! Fill it with your projects, lists and tasks with style. Here are some inspiring photos of organized planners with style. . .

I've always been obsessed with planners, pens, markers, school supplies, etc. This can be so much fun for you to create, especially before the start of 2016. Get the best planner that you can afford and be sure to set yourself up with a date system that works for you. 

ONE: I am partial to DAY at a glance with a time list on each day so I went with the FILOFAX day planner in black. I love the A5 size in all planners so you can clearly and easily read and write. I love the layout of it and I can add or subtract any pages I need. 
TWO: I have clients who work with the DAY DESIGNER and I absolutely love it. It has some encouraging quotes and a place to add your goals. 
THREE: A lot of my friends love the hot pink domino filofax, which comes with everything that mine does but has a band clip instead of a snap. Everyone raves over the color. 
FOUR: I also love the ERIN CONDREN customizable planner. This one is a GREAT way to get started if you are new to planning. They have so many covers to choose from, the colors are fun and interactive and it teaches you HOW to organize effectively. 

Here are a few peeks inside my filofax: 

People get very, very creative with their Filofax decor. I like to be more simple and clean. My very first page is my current soul vision board. So that every day I open it up, these awesome affirmations are the very first thing I see. 

I'm very diligent about planning my calendar and keeping it clean. I also keep my days planned out by the hour, which lets me plan my day to the specific hour. This is a GREAT way to stay on track with your schedule instead of just getting to it when you get to it. 

I also hole punch and save magazine tears and wallpaper samples and keep them in order according to design project or blog post ideas. This helps me keep inspired at all times. 

SHOP MY LOOK: 

10 habits to prepare yourself for a killer 2016

I got up at 5 am this morning, which I never do, so that I had enough time to get to the gym before I took on 3 coaching call sessions + an on camera interview with The Womens CEO project. I'm feeling pretty accomplished today and I'm not even finished working yet. I still have my design clients to tend to and blog posts to write.

During my interview today, I was asked how I manage my time with all my design projects, coaching clients, traveling, family, etc. This got me to thinking about all the things that I have been doing to prepare myself for next year, so that I can accomplish my goals and feel good about my life. ( Learn more about my coaching here ) So, I thought I would put together a little list of all my secrets, to show you what I do to keep me energized, organized and feeling my best to tackle my days. 

ONE: GLAM-SHUI Yes, I coined my own little phrase. It's basically Feng-shui but I put my own little twist on it. Not everything has to be so "zen" to create harmony and happiness in the home, glam has impact too. I've got a whole course on my glam-shui systems but the two most important keys are to DE-CLUTTER and INJECT GLAMOUR into your space. It's pretty much that simple. Get rid of anything and anything that feels like clutter and you don't use. Then, put some things that make your home a little bit more glamorous so you feel better about your space (example: hand soap with a pretty label or a pretty dispenser for it). When you feel good and organized at home, you feel better at life. 

TWO: GET A PLANNER or CALENDAR or anything you can use that will help you write down and schedule all appointments. You want to have something where you can keep everything together. A messy desk may look cool in photos but truly you want to invest in how you organize your life and your time. In my business, I try to stay very organized and I keep record of everything I do, every project I work on and I like to do it in style. I've carried around a Graphic Image planner along with my python notebook for the longest and I love them, but for 2016 I'm moving to the Filofax system. 

Love this get up by Grit and Glamour. Get your planner here...

THREE: SET SOME LIFE GOALS To be truthful with you, I am kind of over the whole "new years resolutions" thing. I am more of a GOAL woman. I've talked a lot about making 3 month and 6 month goals. I find that its just easier to stick to and makes things feel less intimidating. I like to make them according to each area of my life. Here's a little chart I like to refer to. . .

FOUR: READ INFORMATION As much as I love to read a great novel, I've started to love reading informative books more than just a good story. It helps me to feel a little more ahead of the game and like I have a good competitive edge. It makes me feel like I'm filling my mind with information that will work with me and my life. Even if you don't really enjoy reading, try reading this Sophia Amoruso article. A quick but good read. 

FIVE: MAKE TIME TO MEDITATE You don't have to get crazy with it but its so important to take time out in your day to breathe deep and clear your mind. I like to go to the sauna at my gym, clothes my eyes and breathe deep for about 10-15 minutes. I am telling you, it will help you to get your cells going, clear your mind and get you in a state of being ready for new ideas to flow in. I swear by meditating and I also coach most of my clients to create a chic little meditation zone in the home where you journal and meditate/pray. Check out some of my favorite spiritual spaces. 

SIX: GET IN THE HABIT OF COMPLETION Start paying all your bills on time, writing down your appointments and going to them, finish your to-do list, make that phone call you've been meaning to make, etc. Make sure that you are getting yourself in the mode where you do what you say you are going to do. This will prepare you to walk into 2016 with an accelerated energy of getting stuff done! 

SEVEN: GET MORE SLEEP Winter months are harder on us and much, much darker. Don't over work yourself, allow your self to sleep when your body needs it. Listen to your body, it will let you know what you need. When you make sleeping well a priority you are giving yourself the gift of self-care. You'll feel more alive and renewed than ever, which will pay off in your life. 

EIGHT: GIVE TO SOMEONE ELSE I believe that when you give, its really getting. To energize your heart, give to something or something else. Try to do it at least once a day and feel good about it. Sometimes we are made to believe that we shouldn't take credit for when we give, that if we do it without any attention it means we are "good" people. I sort of disagree. When you give to others, do it excitedly and with enthusiasm and let yourself feel awesome about what you just did. Try a few of these, give a compliment to 5 people, buy someone a coffee, call your grandma and tell her you love her, thank your boss for all opportunities he or she provides, pet an animal you see. All of these things will help you to put a pep in your step. You will walk into the new year on fire! 

NINE: ADD SOMETHING NEW TO YOUR ROUTINE If you don't do some type of exercising, try and add that into your week. Or if you already go to the gym, try taking a new class. Maybe if you have wanted to learn photography, sign up for a class. If you want to try my life coaching sessions, that's fun too.  If there is anything that you have wanted to do, make an effort this month to sign up and do it. Throwing in a new activity in your life is just good for the soul. You will meet new people, get new ideas and ultimately increase the happiness in your week! 

TEN: CELEBRATE It's so important to celebrate even the smallest achievements in your life. If you finally pay a bill you've been meaning to pay, feel proud and say so. If you go the gym and work out for 20 minutes longer than usual, treat yourself with a healthy juice or indulge yourself in a nice long bath and face mask. If you pass a test, try a new class or don't scream at a car in rush hour traffic, toast yourself with a glass of champagne or buy yourself a treat. It's imperative that you celebrate even the smallest success in life. It will enrich and empower you to keep going at life with gusto and have the best year ever!