Presented by Ella Woodward with Erin Zammett Ruddy (source)

1. Don’t Put It Down, Put It Away

• Saying you’re going to do something later is how clutter begins
• Anything that can be done in 1 minute should be done right away
• Tidy house, tidy mind
• The more often you clean, the less you have to clean

2. Don’t Hit the Snooze Button

• We should be going to bed and waking up around the same time
• Get outside and into the sunlight ➜ tells your brain to wake up
• Set yourself up for a great day ➜ how you wake up matters
• Create a morning routine

3. Be Kinder to Yourself

• Review and reflect at the end of each day
  • What went good? What went bad? What could have been better?
• Do so from a place of gratitude
• Everyday is a new day for new opportunities
• We are all works in progress

4. Declutter Spaces

• Focus on yourself, not the stuff
• Think about the vision you have for your life and a space
  • E.g., a place of creativity
• There are 2 types of clutter (Peter Walsh, author of Let It Go):
  • Memory: things we save because it reminds us of someone, an achievement or event
  • “I Might Need It One Day”: things saved for an imagined future
• Re-name your “junk drawer” and organize it
  • 15-Minute Wins: 15 minutes is the time you should spend cleaning out this drawer
    • Dump, sort, divide, put back and away

5. Set Yourself Up For Success When Working from Home

• Give yourself a specific area or corner to work from
• Don’t start work the moment you wake up (have a morning routine)
• Dress and feel like you’re working
  • If you’re out of your pajamas it signals to others you’re working
• Don’t multi-task, set boundaries
  • Treat your workday like one and take real breaks
    • Give your brain a rest (e.g., go for a walk; don’t do a load of laundry)

6. Manage Your To-Do List

• Don’t put things on a to-do list you know you won’t do
• Transferring your list onto a calendar with a specific time frees it from your mind
• “Eat a frog” (Mark Twain): it’s best to do big tasks first things in the morning when you’re more awake/alert
  • Wake up early, be productive, knock things off your list

7. Manage Your Inbox / Emails

• Get new emails out of the way first
• Focus on writing clear emails in the subject line (start with the conclusion in mind)
  • Use bullet points and white space (people are usually reading emails on their devices)
• Reply All if you’re on a chain (so everyone knows they have your buy-in)
• CC only the necessary people when sending emails
• Give specific deadlines
  • Don’t use “by end of day” (everyone’s “end of day” is different)
  • Give a specific time (e.g., Friday at 3:15 pm)  
• Write efficient emails
  • Bold certain things, get to the points
  • Write emails that are easy to respond to

8. Meditate

• “If you want to make your body stronger, you have to move it. If you want to strengthen your brain, you have to keep it still.” – Suze Yalof Schwartz
• Practice a 5-minute meditation in the morning (see: Meditation Tools & Tips)
  • Close your eyes, quiet your mind, focus on your breath (putting hand on chest helps)
  • Be in the present moment
  • Name it (thoughts, feelings) to tame it

9. Take Naps

• Put yourself in a quiet room, remove devices
• Keep room cool (a slight drop in body temperature signals sleep to your brain)
• Set yourself up (e.g., sleep aids: sleep mask, white noise)
• Have a piece of paper to write things down that may come to mind right before you go to take a nap
• The best time to take a nap is when you feel you need it and are able to

10. Say No

•  Ask yourself: “Would I be willing to do this tomorrow?”
• Think about your future self
• Remind yourself that your time is valuable
• Being busy is different from being productive
  • Fill your calendar with things that are important to you and that you have to do
• As soon as you know you’re going to say no, say no (Book suggestion: Set Boundaries, Find Peace)

Final Reminders

• Be considerate of your future self (e.g., when waking up, spending money, with what you’re eating)
• Focus on how you’re doing things
  • Be more mindful and conscious
  • Find joy in the tiny areas of life that are apart of life (e.g., washing dishes, making the bed, etc.)
• Make small changes that have a big payoff on your well-being

Resources:

The Little Book of Life Skills by Erin Zammett Ruddy

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This website is provided only for informational purposes and not intended to be used to replace professional advice, treatment or professional care. Always speak to your physician, healthcare provider or pediatrician if you have concerns about your own health or the health of a child.