How To Print On Post-It® Notes

As found on Tatertots & Jello:

Here’s the easy process:

1. Print the template
2. Stick the Post-it Notes on the page
3. Print what you want on the Post-it Notes — all lined up to match the template
4. Bask in your cleverness

Read more at http://tatertotsandjello.com/2013/07/diy-secret-how-to-use-post-it-notes-in-your-printer-free-printable.html#5JCd4Cwop3gODH0P.99


Use them as tags for gifts, a recurring to-do, label boxes for moving, party games, branding a note to a client, labeling boxes and bins, the list is endless.

Thanks Tatertots and Jello for such a great idea!

Interview With An Organizer: Joyce Woodson

Just about every week I meet some awesome folks! Because I provide a lifestyle service, I try to have as many outstanding professionals in my back pocket that can assist my clients to have a fabulous life personally and professionally.

These interviews are also meant to show that we all have our own style of keeping it together, organized, and productive.  I'm the Organizer but certainly not a know-it-all (if my mom or husband is reading I advise them to stop laughing now).

Here is the latest interview.  Enjoy!

Meet Ms. Joyce Woodson of The Referral Project!

Tell us a little about your company: The Referral Project is an initiative of Joyce Woodson Realty, and uses real estate referral commissions to fund nonprofits anywhere in the country. Joyce Woodson Realty is a full service real estate firm focusing on commercial business in Alexandria and inside the beltway.

Name one thing you're really good at keeping organized in your business? Client responsiveness; I promptly respond to client contacts.

Any specific organizing tool? Nothing specific - I use my calendar religiously to keep track of responsibilities and I take copious notes.

How do you keep track of your networking and clients/profits and expenses? I use my calendar and contact software daily and maintain all written notes until they are transferred to computer software or discarded as unneeded.

How do you stay motivated to keep organized? (book, advice, routine, person) I am not always organized, nor am I organized in everything that I do. However, I found if I could keep a small part of my life organized I would feel like I was in control of my life ... and feeling that sense of control, no matter how small or insignificant, would spill over and create a sense of balance and hope. Everyday is a new day - and if I can find a piece of balance and hope in every day I will keep it together.

What is your biggest organizing conundrum? Bills and taxes. I really do not like paying bills and doing taxes. Most bills are now paid automatically but taxes are a real drag on energy, balance and hopefulness.

If you would like to learn more about Joyce and how she can help you reach your goals in 2014 (or beyond), connect with her on her website The Referral Project. 

Like what you read? I'd love to hear your feedback so please comment below.  Know someone who could benefit from the information? Feel free to share via social media by pressing any of the social media buttons below!

Would you like to have a 1:1 meeting with me so I can possibly have you in my back pocket as an outstanding service or product for my clients? Then email me at andrea_hancock@bdexterous.com.

Ciao!

Making a mistake does not make you an idiot by Tina Bowers

Everyone makes mistakes. But it seems that everyone is also obsessed with making sure no one knows about them. Maybe it's time to take responsibility and earn respect. 

The Latin term mea culpa"means "through my fault." I have looked this term up online and I found it in my trusty hardcover Webster's dictionary. Nowhere did I see the term translated as, "I'm an idiot." Yet, that's what most people think will be inferred by others when they speak those words or any of their brethren like, "Sorry about that" or "I made a mistake."

Trust me when I tell you that many employees share this erroneous mindset (and you know who you are). Admitting fault is not a public acknowledgment that you are a worthless human being and should be fired immediately. Apologizing for an action you took that caused a problem for a coworker does not make you the office weakling and brand you with a scarlet letter. Making mistakes makes you human, and owning up to them earns you respect and maybe even renders you endearing.

However, never admitting responsibility for a mistake is an acknowledgment that you value your own "image" more than you do the welfare of your company. I wouldn't want you working for me.

If people spent as much time and energy acknowledging their mistakes as they do justifying their bad decisions and figuring out how to dodge responsibility, the world would be a much more productive place. You can be sure that the people who are unwilling to own up to their mistakes are the same ones who don't learn from those mistakes. And thus we have a never-ending cycle of denial and repeat.

I've started to see whole groups of people attempt to disguise responsibility as an entity unto itself. My pet peeve is the phrase, "Mistakes were made." As if the mistakes just formed out of mid-air with no human hand involved.

Speaking of that horrid phrase, two social psychologists, Carol Tavris and Elliot Aronson look into how the brain is wired for self-justification in the book, Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me): Why We Justify Foolish Beliefs, Bad Decisions, and Hurtful Acts Their observation is that we create fictions to absolve ourselves of any responsibility, "restoring our belief that we are smart, moral, and right-a belief that often keeps us on a course that is dumb, immoral, and wrong."

Maybe we should all take a look at that book.

Do you find yourself justifying mistakes at work? Have you ever owned up a to a mistake and were you burned at the stake for it?

Toni Bowers is Managing Editor of TechRepublic and is the award-winning blogger of the Career Management blog. She has edited newsletters, books, and web sites pertaining to software, IT career, and IT management issues. Follow her on Twitter @tbowers928

If Your Desk is Messy, It Means You Can Fly!

So recently I read this article about if your desk is messy it means you're a genius. I agree that many people who have messy desks are really deep thinkers.  I mean, who has time to file when you're solving impossible math equations, like Sir Andrew Wiles (pictured below). But there has to be some sort of system to the chaos.  The less likely you are to be able to locate a needed or wanted item in your office the less you can describe yourself as organized.  Nobody is 100% organized, because we are imperfect humans.  But what we can do is put in systems that defray the lack of perfect we have in our brains and our chaotic lives.

I AM in total agreement with Author and Speaker Lee Silber in his book Organizing from the Right Side of the Brain: A Creative Approach to Getting Organized:

The truest definition of organizing is this: if you can find what you need when you need it, then you are organized. If it doesn't look organized to others, it doesn't matter.  If it works for you, that's what matters most. It's about function more than it is about form. It's creative, colorful, and comfortable, and not necessarily neat and perfect with everything put away. It isn't a cold, clinical environment devoid of any sign of life. It's more about controlled chaos. It's cozy and personal. It's also clean. There is a place for everything (even if it's a pile by the door) and everything is at least near that place. Things move and flow in and out of your life and your space based on need, want, and room.

So can you find what you need when you need it? Comment in the section below I want to know if you're a creative and messy or if you are a creative that is impeccably neat.

Inspiration & Motivation! Winners Never Quit by Eric Friedman

We have all had those moments where we just feel like throwing our hands in the air and giving up. It’s almost inevitable to feel that way sometimes, especially in the human resources field, where you are required to be on top of so many things, yet the majority of what you do depends on someone else to be considered a success. It can be a high-pressure, low recognition job, since you are really a behind-the-scenes power that makes so many things run smoothly, but may only be noticed when things go wrong. It’s an industry where your feet aren’t held to the fire for sales numbers or high efficiency, but instead for retention rates, the time it takes to hire, and employee engagement. Sometimes the pressure can become too much for HR professionals, causing them to leave the job or even the industry.

HOW TO AVOID GETTING TO “I QUIT!”

So what’s the difference between the professionals who get burned out and the ones who are still going strong? In my opinion, it has a lot to do with perspective, as well as a few extenuating circumstances. Although it can be a tough job, leaders in HR also know how exciting, innovative, engaging, and diverse the job can be. Just as with any other industry, there are positive and negative aspects, so when you focus only on the stressors and not on the personal rewards of being great at your job, you can get to “I quit!” very quickly.

One of the things that make HR jobs overwhelming is the fact that you have to rely on so many other parties in order to be successful. Your department heads must decide what they’re looking for in an employee before you can really recruit, potential candidates must decide they’re interested in your organization before you can have a purposeful conversation with them, managers must then decide whether or not they like the candidates you present, and then the chosen candidate must determine whether or not he or she will take the job.

That’s a lot of effort, pushing, and motivating, and a significant time investment in something that you can’t make happen without all of the other people complying. To keep from becoming a burned out middleman, think about how you can make a difference. It can be frustrating to feel overlooked, but before you decide that the job is not for you, consider what you can improve upon. Would it help if you gained project management or motivational skills? Perhaps it’s just a matter of developing a better relationship with your internal managers, so your recommendations are accepted and even requested, or of building stronger connections to potential candidates, so that you’re more aware of their decision-making processes and outside influencers.

Extenuating Circumstances – The Things We Can’t Control

While we can alter the perspective we choose to take, there are some things we cannot control, and they can mean the difference between loving your job and dreading Monday morning. These factors can be specific to the organization, such as having to continually deliver bad news to the employees, or they can be confined to one person, like a boss who makes your life a living hell. I too have been guilty of hating my job because of a boss, and I knew that in order to not say “I quit!” to the industry, I had to say it to that specific job. If you’re in a negative environment with no sign of possible changes, sometimes you must cut your losses and move on before you become burned out. While it’s always a good idea to stick things out and learn along the way, occasionally there are those situations where it’s better for your long-term career, not to mention your sanity, to separate yourself.

How do you keep from getting burned out in your job? Let us know in the comments section below.

Eric Friedman is the founder and CEO of eSkill Corporation, a leading provider of online skills testing for pre-employment assessment and benchmarking. Eric has degrees in Psychology and Business, and a fascination with matching people with roles they're best at, and that they enjoy. 

A company built on exceptional talent from Internet technology, test development, and iterative product development, eSkill leads as an independent assessment company helping HR departments with relevant and accurate job-based tests.

To learn more about Eric and eSkill, visit the company website at www.eskill.com , or contact him on LinkedIn.

Get ready for Spring Clean-out for the DIY!

You know who you are. When you want something you want it done yesterday.  But did you know in order to get a free donation pick up from +DCGoodwill you need to schedule it about 8 weeks out?  So you know what that means?

Imagine this scenario: It's mid-April and weather starts to break, the sun shines and you want to get started on planting your spring perennials.  But you notice your garage is cluttered and so is your basement. The itch has begun.  The Spring-cleaning itch. Suddenly you decide you have a ton of donate; a sofa, 8 bags of clothes, a box of old electronics, and who-knows-what-else but you drive a two-door sedan.  Yikes. So you call up Goodwill and they tell you that you can get a free pick up and they are booking for June.  Are you serious?! But it's April! you reply.  Yep. They're serious.  So avoid any @!#&* on your part!

If you're looking for a free option to haul away your junk and you know you're gonna get the itch.  You better book your Goodwill pick up like...(looks at watch) NOW!  Here are 5 easy steps:

1. Fill out the form
2. Check out the things Goodwill won't take
3. Sit and wait.  Goodwill will call you in about 5 business days to set up your pick up.
4. Let the Spring Clearing itch hit; or better yet put a couple dates on your calendar to go through the back of the closet and the untouched places of your house and car and start labeling what's donate.  If you need help with the sort, schedule an appointment with us.
5. Make sure you set your donate in one central location for the day of pick up.  Generally in the driveway, garage, or somewhere on the first level of your home. 

If you're into convenience however you can pay. Goodwill DC has partnered with a junk hauling company that will remove your junk future treasures, out but for a fee.

You can of course hire Dexterous Organizing and not only will you have a partner to help you get your spring-clean out itch stretched but we'll bring our team of experts, from organizer and junk hauler to handyman and closet systems, to help you every step of the way so you'll not only clean out but maybe even implement a new system and get a great deal on a garage system installed so next spring's clean out might not be so daunting!

What are some things you plan on getting started on for a spring clean out? Share your ideas below in the comment section.  If you know of someone who is in need of a kick-start to spring cleaning please share with them or your audience on social media!

TEDxSoMa - Leah Busque - From Social Networking to Service Networking

Need a small task done and done quickly?



Connect with me on TaskRabbit.  Instead of adding a concierge side to Dexterous Organizing (or at least not in the foreseeable future), I thought I'd just work as a TaskRabbit.  So far, so good.  Here is Leah talking about why she started TaskRabbit and it's success.  I love being a TaskRabbit in addition to my running Dexterous Organizing and Designing for ShelfGenie.  I get to do what I do best (helping people in the lives and businesses) and meet some really cool folks (I love networking and sharing).



If you need a task done, you can hire me directly!