Setting up for Success - Part 1 Working

Does your physical environment set you up for success?

Are you setting your world up to make choices that align with your intentions? Are you removing obstacles that stand in the way of your goals and dreams? Are you organizing your home and life in ways that promote achieving your healthy habits?

It has been said by many that cluttered spaces = a cluttered mind. When you wake up in the morning, and you see clothes all over the floor, the dishes on the counter from the night before, kids’ toys scattered everywhere, or arrive at the office to a desk covered in papers how does that physically make you feel? I imagine there is a big sigh, and you feel a sense of demotivation. How are you able to feel energized, empowered, and organized towards your goals if your physical environment is messy, cluttered and disorganized?

I am not saying you need to #konmari (Marie Kondo decluttering method) your whole house before you can start working on your intentions for the year. But maybe there is a big goal or focus you have for 2019, take a look at that area of your world and see how you can really set yourself up for success physically to help with mentally tackling your tasks.

Let’s take a look at some areas of your world, ask some questions, pose some considerations and see what fits for you. Just some thoughts to ponder.

Part 1 - Work Life

· Do you have a quiet place you can work and focus on the task at hand? Noise cancelling headphones? (maybe not recommended if you have to watch the kids at the same time). Can you set the room with some energizing essential oils (like Wild Orange) and play some motivating music?

· Does your desk double as your kitchen countertop, where your attention can be pulled in a million different directions at any time? I often work from my kitchen counter or table so that I can watch the kids or cook dinner while I am working on something. You work with what you have available to you at the moment. BUT, I highly recommend you have a dedicated work space somewhere in your house. Even just a small corner where you can keep all of your necessary items organized. Having the space will up your working from home game. As a #WAHM, I now have a space just for me and my work. A desk reminds me that my work is important, I have big goals this year and they will require some serious dedication.

· Is your desk organized, clear and clean? How many dirty coffee cups are on your desk? Papers scattered everywhere? Sticky notes stuck to almost everything? Makes it pretty hard to keep your thoughts, goals and actions organized and actionable if they are all over the place. Get a good note book and planner, and clean up your desk at the end of every work day/session.

· Is your work space set up ergonomically? Is it comfortable to spend an hour or two working away on a project without neck, back or body pains? Many of us work from our laptops, combined with the time we spend on our phones and looking down at littles, our necks take quite the beating. Raising our screens and setting your chair to the correct hights can do wonders for our posture.

· Do you have some inspiration visible at your work space? Remembering our WHY is so important when it comes to achieving our goals. A visual reminder of your WHY will help you keep your eyes on the prize so to speak. I loved Simon Sinek’s book ‘Start With Why’ for helping you narrow down your why and the importance of keeping this statement clear.

· Tip: From Brendon Burchard’s book ‘High Performance Habits’ – Before you sit down at your desk, set an intention about how you want to feel while you get your work done. Who needs you to be on top of your game right now? A certain client? A coworker? Your social media audience?