Media

Media Releases 2010

How to Manage Your Time and Make the Most of Your Summer Days

Professional Organizers in Canada offers time management tips for the Summer Season

May 27, 2010. Can you feel the excitement in the air? Summer is on its way. The first long weekend and trip to the cottage - happy season has arrived! We look forward to the warm summer months all year round, but soon enough they're gone and it's Labour Day and back-to-school again.

How do we manage our time before all 90 summer days start to drift away? Ask an expert! Professional Organizers in Canada (POC) have an impressive roster of members who can provide valuable information on time management.

"Canadian summers always seem to fly by with everyone surprised when Labour Day rolls around," says Kristie Demke, President, POC. "However, just like everything else in life, you CAN get organized and ensure that every possible moment is enjoyed, whether on vacation or simply enjoying your free time away from work. There is a way to get the most out of your summer months."Unlike some places in Western Europe where employees are given four to six weeks as the holiday standard, Canadians are typically allocated just two weeks and most employees book that time off during the summer time. Two weeks can disappear quickly if you don't plan ahead!

Whether you go away or simply plan to stay home and relax it's always good to get organized. Here are some tips on how to maximize your vacation time so you fully enjoy it without getting overwhelmed:

Plan your vacation time well in advance so that you are not looking at the calendar the first week in July, realizing that between the kids' camps, the family reunion, and month-end at work, you actually don't have two weeks in a row that you can spend at the lake, on a road trip, or enjoying a "stay-cation" right in your own city.
It's not too early to book your time off right now! Try to book a mixture of activities, relaxation, and perhaps even a project or two. You don't want to pack so much into your vacation that you are exhausted when you return to work, nor do you want to squander your precious vacation days doing nothing!
Make a list of all the things you want to do (visit the relatives, spend a few days at the lake, tour a museum or two, catch up on the latest "beach" novel, paint the deck) and incorporate all those activities into your vacation."

Another common problem during the summer is that everyone's calendar tends to be very busy", adds Demke. "Whether it's a wedding, shower or BBQ at a friend's place, your summertime calendar— especially the weekends—can get very full very quickly."Here are some tricks on how to keep your schedule under control and your stress levels down:

Get all the family members and their calendars in one place, and make a list of all the events you've been invited to as well as all the activities you want to do, such as the annual fishing weekend.
Figure out which events are "must attend", which are "nice but optional", and which are "it would be great to have an excuse to miss" and schedule accordingly. If down time is especially important to you and your family, actually plan a "No activities" weekend and put it on the calendar so that you can look forward to just relaxing.
Figure out if there are household activities that can be put "on hold" throughout the precious days of summer. Perhaps plan simpler meals so that less time is spent in preparation—implement "sandwich night" once a week, for instance. Don't worry if the house has a more "lived in" look during July and August.
Do your best to resist the temptation to fill the time normally devoted to homework, music and sports practice with other activities.

POC members work to educate and help Canadians find calm, balance and efficiency on a day-to-day basis. Implement the valuable organization tips provided and you'll be read to enjoy every moment by the time June 21st (the official first day of summer) rolls around. And if you want to enjoy a little extra leisure time this summer, hire a professional organizer to help you out.

To find a Professional Organizer in your area, visit the POC website's online directory.

Learn more about Professional Organizers in Canada.

Download a printable version of How to Manage Your Time and Make the Most of Your Summer Days.

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Spring 'Clearing' – De-Clutter and De-Stress

Professional Organizers in Canada offer Spring "Clearing" Tips that go Beyond the Home

March 11th, 2010. As Canadians scramble to get their warm weather wardrobe out of hiding and into the fresh air, Professional Organizers in Canada (POC) encourage spring "clearing" tips that benefit both house and health.

A national survey conducted by POC, indicates 91% of disorganized Canadians feel that disorganization negatively impacts their lives – with a large focus on feelings of stress, frustration and even failure.

"It's always good that Canadians are encouraged to get organized with the warm weather," says Kristie Demke, President, POC. "However, to truly develop a stress-free and healthy lifestyle it's important to build organization routines that carry on throughout the year and with every aspect of your life."

According to the survey, 81 percent of Canadians have tried to become more organized, however most say that their efforts didn't work and that this simply caused more stress and negative feelings. Most alarming is that 1 in 6 disorganized Canadians have not even tried to do something about it.

"People want to organize their time and spaces, but they generally struggle to tackle the specific problem effectively," adds Jane Woolsey, Founder of An Organized Vision in Toronto. "Similar to hiring a personal trainer or nutritionist to improve your health and diet, a Professional Organizer can help one develop skills such as time management at work and at home which will keep you more productive."

The negative impact of disorganization can and should be addressed as it effects all age-groups including younger demographics. In the 18 to 34 age group, 19% of Canadians say their disorganization makes them feel like a failure.

POC members work to educate and help Canadians find calm, balance and efficiency on a day to day basis. Here are spring "clearing" tips to add to your schedule and all year round:

Take some time to figure out what your priorities are. Everyone has too much on their "to do" lists, so determine your most important goal and concentrate on that. It might feel great to finally organize that junk drawer but will that have as great an impact on your day-to-day life as clearing out all the unused sporting equipment in the garage that makes it a daily obstacle course?
Schedule time to tackle your spring 'clearing' project and allow yourself to concentrate just on that one job. Multi-tasking truly doesn't work so keep your focus on the project at hand. You will be quicker, do a better job, and be less likely to keep interrupting yourself.
Reward yourself for a job well done. You spent the morning changing over the front closet from winter to summer, putting away toques and mittens replacing them with rain boots and ball caps? Excellent—a bright bunch of tulips on the shelf in the foyer completes the transformation and brightens the day!

To find a Professional Organizer in your area, visit the POC website's online directory.

Learn more about Professional Organizers in Canada.

Download a printable version of Spring 'Clearing' – De-Clutter and De-Stress.

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Organize a stress-free Family Day

Professional Organizers in Canada share tips to help time-crunched families enjoy a day off.

February 2nd, 2010. Eighty-six percent of Canadian families claim they are disorganized and 38% of these families say that it is a lack of time management that has them the most stressed. In a national survey conducted by Professional Organizers in Canada (POC), Canadians with children identified as being overwhelmed by disorganization. In fact, those with children in the household are among the most anxious as a result of their disorganization with 48% reporting that they were extremely stressed and frustrated at their inability to keep order in their lives.

"Family Day is the perfect opportunity to take a time out, be together as a family and establish more positive and organized long-term behaviours," says POC President, Kristie Demke. "Unlike the December holidays, Family Day is not burdened by gift exchanges, party preparations or out of town visitors, so the rush to be ready that often gets in the way of families enjoying their time together is not a factor in this civic holiday".

Regardless of how busy your family is, or how chaotic your schedule is, POC recommends that families try these tips to make the day enjoyable, relaxing and memorable for all:

POC TIPS FOR A STRESS FREE FAMILY DAY TOGETHER

Plan ahead. Don’t wait until Family Day to decide how to spend it. Do you want it to be a productive day? An active day? A relaxing day? Discuss ahead of time what the day will look like, check out available activities, and plan according to interests and ages.
Find some balance. Perhaps spend the morning tackling some household chores such as sorting through toys and games, or making a little more room in the closets by clearing out seldom worn or outgrown clothes. Then in the afternoon go for a family skate, stroll around the science centre, or bake together.
Keep the focus on the family. A trip to the museum is not a family outing if the kids are plugged into their iPods or the parents are paying more attention to the Blackberry than the kids.
Don’t forget the budget. A day on the ski slopes is great if it doesn’t blow the budget for the rest of the month. There are many activities that don’t cost a week’s pay and are just as fun. Think local programs, getting together with friends and neighbours, and outings that require more imagination than cash.
Give retail therapy a pass. The malls will be crowded with families loaded down with shopping bags, getting that fleeting high from buying something you didn’t even know you wanted until you saw it! And after the bounty of the holidays just six weeks ago, is there really anything you need?

And POC believes that if you can be organized for one day, that you are well on your way to becoming more organized the rest of the year too. "Our job as Professional Organizers is to help Canadians find calm, balance and efficiency in all aspects of their lives on a day to day basis," says Demke. "For families with children this can be a more difficult task, but our POC members have helped thousands of families over the years with everything from de-cluttering their homes to organizing more free time for everyone in the family."

POC recommends incorporating their Family Day tips the other 364 days of the year to help make everyday life more organized and calm.

TIPS ON HOW TO EXTEND FAMILY DAY TIPS INTO EVERYDAY LIFE

Plan ahead. Whether it’s figuring out what meals to make for the week, deciding on how summer vacation will be spent, or finding time to clean out the garage, your family life will run more smoothly if you make a list of goals and projects, set priorities, and schedule a time to do them.
Find some balance. All work and no play makes for a stressed, unhappy family. Yes, work is important and so is school, but try to have at least some time every day that is about connecting, communicating, and relaxing. It might be a meal together every day, a weekly date at the community centre, or Saturday movie night—whatever works for your family.
Keep the focus on the family. Maybe declare the car ride to and from school or activities a “technology-free” zone so that everyone has a chance to talk and share during that half hour. Ensure that the days are not so crammed with activities that there is no time to curl up with a book, or even watch a DVD together. Remember how important your family is and ensure that is reflected in your real life.
Don’t forget the budget. If your family doesn’t already keep a budget, you probably want to start. It’s difficult to know what you can afford if you don’t know what your monthly obligations are. And make sure that money in the budget is set aside for activities, vacations, and pizza night now and then!
Give retail therapy a pass. Shop with a list, whether at the grocery store or at the mall. If you are shopping for winter boots, new jeans, and a birthday gift for tomorrow’s party, don’t come home with more than that. Avoid impulse purchases by following the 24-hour rule: If you see something you just have to have, put it on hold, think about it over night, and see if you still want it the next day.

To find a Professional Organizer in your area, visit the POC website's online directory.

Learn more about Professional Organizers in Canada.

Download a printable version of Organize a stress-free Family Day

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Eighty Percent of Canadians Say They Are Disorganized and Unhappy About It

Professional Organizers in Canada gives advice on how to make 2010 more organized.

An overwhelming 80 percent of Canadians feel disorganized, with most saying they have a hard time keeping order in their home, at their workplace, and with time management according to a December 2009 Leger Marketing survey conducted by Professional Organizers in Canada (POC).

The Most Disorganized Lack Time Management

Thirty-four percent of Canadians polled said they lacked the necessary skills to effectively manage their time and that their personal and work schedule was the most disorganized area of their lives. Among the most likely to struggle with time management were young Canadians, those with children, and working Canadians.

At Home and At Work

Twenty-nine percent of Canadians said their home is the most disorganized part of their lives with 34 percent of women reporting that their home was disordered. The workplace was also named as a place of disorganization with nine percent of Canadians saying that their office needed order. Ontarians and Quebecer’s were the most likely to report that work was the most disorganized part of their lives.

Disorganization Distress

Perhaps more alarming than the large number of disorganized Canadians, is how being disorganized affects them. Ninety percent of disorganized Canadians reported that being disorganized negatively impacted their lives. Forty-three percent said they felt stressed, 39 percent felt frustrated, 14 percent reported being upset, and 11 percent claimed that their disorganization made them feel like failures. Those who reported the most significant negative impact of disorganization were women, Canadians under the age of 45, working Canadians, and those with children in the household.

“We at Professional Organizers in Canada have seen first-hand how being disorganized can wreak havoc on all parts of a person’s life,” says Kristie Demke, President, POC. “It’s not that people don’t try to organize their time and spaces, but often attempts without the help of a Professional Organizer just don’t tackle the problem strongly enough to take effect.” According to the survey, 81 percent of Canadians have tried to become more organized by themselves, but most say that their efforts didn’t work and that this simply caused more stress and negative feelings.

Resolve to be Organized in the New Year

Hiring a Professional Organizer is a sure way to start 2010 off on an organized path. “When people have car troubles, they hire a mechanic. When something is wrong with their health they go to a doctor. So it should be natural that when disorganization is making your life less pleasurable, you should hire a Professional Organizer,” says Demke. “A Professional Organizer helps individuals and businesses by organizing their space, time and information in order to create functional spaces, increase productivity, and reduce stress.” Finding one is easy; POC offers an online directory to help clients find a professional organizer in their area who is right for their needs.

Tips and Tricks

In addition to hiring a professional, the following are some basic tips and tricks from POC that all Canadians can employ to improve their organization skills to make 2010 a more productive year.

Set daily priorities. Make sure the most important tasks are at the top of your list! If you don’t determine what is most important, you may spend the day being reactive instead of proactive and find that you haven’t completed any important tasks by day’s end.
Know how you like to work. For instance, take advantage of your “power hours”; if you are an early riser, schedule the most important tasks for your most productive time of day. If you work best with a clean desk, spend a few minutes getting your desk cleared before you start work—you’ll get more accomplished.
Put it in your schedule. Determine which rooms or areas you want to organize, and schedule one per week until the list is complete. Start with something easy like a linen closet, decide how much time you can devote to the project, and put it in your calendar – or you will never get around to it.
Prepare for tax time. January is an excellent month to go through your file cabinet and prepare for you taxes. Review your files, tossing anything that is outdated or obsolete like instruction manuals for items you no longer own. While you’re doing this, consolidate your tax records and receipts so that you are not in a panic on April 30.
Consolidate tasks for efficiency. Return calls or respond to emails at one time, pay all your bills, even group your errands together by geographic location. You’ll get more done in less time when you don’t have to switch from one activity to another.
Everyone should pitch in. Make sure that all members of the household know where items are kept, whether it is sporting equipment, photographs, or even incoming mail and newspapers. Create a simple map of such zones if you like, and make sure that storage areas are kid-friendly so that even the younger members of the household will be able to help return items to the proper home.
Edit your wardrobe. Does everything fit, look good, and make you feel good when you wear it? If not, should it really be taking up valuable closet space? Remember, we wear 20 percent of our clothes 80 percent of the time!

To find a Professional Organizer in your area, visit the POC website's online directory.

Learn more about Professional Organizers in Canada.

Download a printable version of Eighty Percent of Canadians Say They are Disorganized and Unhappy About it.

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