Happy New Year!

Don’t you love this month’s quote? It was told to me by a client. Can you imagine that quote posted on a Boardroom wall? Or in the back of our minds as we go through each day? What would you be doing differently if you were more flexible at home or at work? How would your interactions with others differ? How much more could your work teams accomplish? How many new ideas would be born out of increased flexibility? How much more trust would develop in business teams? I know for me, the more flexible I am in my thinking the more options and possibilities come to me, particularly when I am looking to solve a problem of some sort.

Here’s the challenge for each of us over the next month or so. Keep this quote top of mind as we go through our days and see what transpires as we shift to being more flexible in our thinking and our doing. I bet we hold less judgment, assumption and gain more ideas and improved relationships. Feel free to write me about it at oprica@ascentcoaching.com I am always happy to hear from you.

May 2008 hold all you need for yourselves, unknown gifts beyond measure and the wisdom to see the gifts when they arrive. Oh yes, and a year of considerably less mental, physical, emotional & financial clutter. That almost goes without saying!

-Linda

  - Book Report

Instead of a book report this month I have an article, which was sent to me a few days ago. I think some of you may find it quite interesting. Click below and have a peak.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/01/health/01well.html?no_interstitial

Comments? Send them to me at oprica@ascentcoaching.com

- The Cost of Clutter: A Recent Example - Dot Snow

This past quarter has been an exceptionally busy time for me at work. I couldn't understand why I have been feeling so behind in my projects until I reviewed my calendar and realized that between team offsites and conferences and trainings and all-day meetings, I haven't been in my office more than 2-3 days a week since Labor Day. That didn't slow the paper avalanche though, and soon my desk became covered with stacks of paper. This was the typical pattern: I'd return from a conference and put the stack of materials to process on my desk when I had more time. I'd head off to a meeting and return from that meeting with more paper and make a new stack on my desk before heading off to the next meeting. I was reluctant to file away the papers and folders because I was afraid I'd forget that I was supposed to follow up on something from the meeting the old "out of sight, out of mind" syndrome. This pattern would repeat itself over the weeks and soon I was surrounded with stacks of material from each of the meetings, files folders strewn across my desktop to the point where I only had a small space to actually work in front of my chair.

It was interesting to reflect on the physical reactions I felt from the clutter. It felt cramped to be sitting at my desk and I just couldn't get comfortable sitting there. I was distracted and unable to concentrate on any particular project. And that sense of falling behind in my work made me feel anxious—a clear sign of the emotional impact that the clutter was having.

It came to a head the other week when I was unable to put my hands on a strategic thought document I'd been working on from one of the conferences I'd attended. It was a hand written document, with lots of notes scribbled in the margins when the occasional bursts of inspiration and insight had hit me. It hadn't yet been translated into an electronic form, so when I couldn't put my hands on it when I needed it I could feel a sense of dread filling my mind.

So I began going through the piles of papers and folders on my desk. My big fear was that my hand-written document had been grabbed up with other papers and stuffed into any one of the file folders that were being opened and closed in the course of my work. I ended up looking through the file folders of every current project I had folders for looking for that document. No luck, even after a couple hours of fruitless searching.

I decided that I could do some de-cluttering while I searched for the document. I started going through the most likely file folders it could have been grabbed up into, and thinned out the files of outdated pieces of paper. I then made a note of what follow-up was needed on a running "to-do" list, and filed the folder away in its drawer. On to the next one, repeating the process. A few hours later, I had cleared off one side of my desk, thinned out several folders, and was reminded of some important follow-up tasks but I still hadn't found that hand-written document!

Well, this part of the story goes on for a while thinning out folders, recycling no longer needed paperwork, and putting things away in their proper place. All the while, I'm thinking about that strategic thought document and wondering how much of it I would be able to recreate from memory. And then, when on the last stack of binders and folders, I spied the purple file folder from the specific conference where this work had all started. I grabbed it and lo and behold, inside there was my hand-written document!

First thing I did was to create the electronic version of the document. Second thing was to finish processing that last stack of paperwork so for the time being my desktop was clear.

I realized that the accumulated clutter had cost me in several ways. I lost several hours of work time searching among the paperwork on my desk looking for the document. There was the emotional clutter of anxiousness and feeling unsettled from trying to work in a crowded environment. The lack of an efficient way to process next steps from work projects cost me time and a couple of missed opportunities.

What I'm working on now is at the end of each day, I'm going through the file folders and paperwork that accumulated that day before I head home. Same process—replace the outdated versions with the new versions of documents, write the next steps on the "to-do" list, and file away the folder. I also pull the files needed for the next day's meeting and set them up in the folder holder, ready to grab when the meetings start. It's working so far onwards!

 - Coaching Tip

Instead of a New Year Resolution:

1. Choose one area in your life and/or work that you’d like to be different.

2. Decide exactly what it is that you would like to be different and write it down.

3. Brainstorm on paper all the different ways you could achieve this. Do not judge the options.

4. Choose your top three options that seem to fit best for you.

5. Write out in more detail how each of these options would work.

6. Choose the option that you feel most committed to or connected with.

7. Write out how choosing this option would enhance or benefit your work and/or life (related to #2).

8. Create the time and space (literally and mentally) to incorporate this option. Could involve scheduling, other people, time, whatever it takes to make this happen.

9. Make a purposeful commitment to yourself and tell at least one other person your plan and ask for their support (most likely emotional such as a cheerleader of sorts although not limited to that).

10. Decide how you will celebrate having achieved what you set out for yourself in #2.

11. Write us at clutter@ascentcoaching.com and tell us all about it so we can cheer you on and congratulate you as well!

- Retreats

Book your Space Now for your Retreat!

1:1 retreats

The Village Hideaway is available for 1:1 retreats including one day, two day or three-day retreats. For more information on retreats, please visit http://www.ascentcoaching.com/retreats.html

Group Workshops

The Village Hideaway is available for full day workshops. 

For more information on group workshops, please visit http://www.ascentcoaching.com/corporatecoaching.html.

 

Here's what people have said about Linda's retreats: 

"My personal weekend retreat guided by Linda was a wake up call followed by fresh air. Linda skilfully drew my attention to fundamental patterns that could hold me back from my true potential. The endeavour was not over at the end of the weekend and 6 weeks later I am marvelling at how many available enjoyable careers are out there." Julie

"My retreat with Linda helped me to identify the areas of my life that were not working. She helped me to formulate a plan that would facilitate those changes and my coaching with her gave me the direction and the confidence to move forward. We continue to work together as I move along the path towards creating more space for what I want  in my life." CC

Groups Retreats

"Burping Dog Guest House is in the historical Village of Cumberland, BC. This comfortable heritage home has beautiful, mature gardens including a patio, pond area and a private deck. There are three bedrooms (sleeps up to six), a fully equipped kitchen, laundry room, two baths, living and dining rooms, all on a quiet street close to restaurants and shops.

The Guest House is just 30 minutes to the top of Mt. Washington, 10 minutes to Comox Lake and one block from a variety of hiking and biking trails."

Three days and two nights at the comfortable and relaxing Burping Dog Guest House in the historical Village of Cumberland, BC.

There are limited spaces available, so book today!

Booking now will also guarantee you a special pricing opportunity - here's what's included with the package:

• Group coaching on Linda's Seven Strategies to create More Results with Less Clutter
   
• Three days, two nights
   
• All meals
   
• Individual pampering service
   
• Post-retreat phone session

Regular price $1499 per person
Special Price *$599 per person!!
Contact Us Today to Register!

^{*Travel not included}

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