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De-Clutter Bug Newsletter
 Follow Through

August 2013

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in this issue
Problems with Lack of Follow Through
Why Don't We Follow Through?
How to Begin to Follow Through
Life Coach Corner
Seminar - Selling Unwanted Items
Keep It Simple Girl and Leigh & Co. Give Back

Hello Everyone!

 

We are in the throes of summer and whew it is hot. 

 

This month I wanted to discuss something that is a problem in many areas of our lives, not just organizing - Follow Through. The definition of follow through is the act of continuing a plan, project, scheme, or the like to its completion.   Most of us could get so much more done, have less clutter and manage our time much more effectively if we would just follow through.  

 

Next month, I am going to talk about Automobile Organization.  Believe it or not, this is one area people often overlook in the clutter clearing process.  

 

Take a look below and check out the seminar I will be hosting in September.  I will be  covering the topic of "How to Sell Those Unwanted Items".

 

On a personal/professional note, I wanted to announce that I am now a Certified Professional Organizer, CPO�.  There are several steps to go through to become certified along with certification testing and I have completed all those steps successfully.  It is not a requirement in this field but I feel it is in the best interest of my clients and my business to continue to be the best I can be.  

 

Feel free to email questions, comments or suggestions  to 

declutterbugnc@gmail.com.  I would love to hear from you.  

 

As always, if you need help with organizing or are interested in life coaching, please give me a call and we can work together to help you live a better life now!

  

Happy De-Cluttering!

Peggy 

PROBLEMS WITH LACK OF FOLLOW THROUGH 
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 Following through seems like one of the most natural things in the world to do.  You start something and you finish it but that is not the case with a lot of, 

if not most people. 

  

Lack of follow through creates enormous problems:

  

Don't follow through on pursuing healthy lifestyle - 

weight gain and sickness

 

Don't follow through on schoolwork - 

poor grades

 

Don't follow through at work - 

poor results at work and poor work image projected

 

Don't follow through at home - 

clutter piles up, frustrations mount and bills go unpaid

 

Don't follow through when disciplining children-

disrespectful and unruly children

 

Don't follow through on getting car serviced on time - 

greater damage and higher repair costs

 

Don't follow through on backing up digital photos - 

computer crashes and photos lost

 

Don't follow through with saving money -

crisis hits and you are not prepared

 

Don't follow through on opportunities -

opportunity lost

 

 

WHY DON'T WE FOLLOW THROUGH?
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So if all these terrible things are going to happen to us because we don't follow through, then why don't we follow through?  

 

I have found six main reasons people fail to finish what they start.

 

1.  Not paying attention.  Have you ever walked in the house or office, mindlessly set something down and then never went back to do anything with it?  Things begin to pile on top on one another and the next thing you know, you have a mess.  

Have you gotten to the end of a day and wondered where your time has gone?  

We mindlessly go through a day instead of being deliberate about using our time and energies wisely. 

 

2.  Tired.  I find this to be a huge reason for people not finishing the things they start.  You come home from work or have had a long days with kids and it seems easier to leave the dishes in the sink, the laundry unfolded or not put away, the mail untouched, the magazines unread, the pile of papers left unattended, the groceries not put away, etc. etc. etc.  You get the point.  We are all running and going and doing but the fact of the matter is -if you take those few moments, even when you are tired, to follow through on some of these tasks, you will actually, in the long run, feel less tired and overwhelmed.  

 

3.  Not scheduling time.  Many people have good intentions but never set aside the time to do or complete something they have set out do do.  

 

4.  Wrong reason for setting a goal or agreeing to do something.  Many times we say yes to something without thinking it through.  We feel bad for saying no, we feel pressured to say yes, we are doing something because someone else we know is doing it or we are convinced we are the only people that can get it done.

 

5.  Following through is going to be hard.  There are many things in life that we have to persevere through and many of us just don't want to be bothered.  We want things to be simple, uncomplicated and quick.  We don't want to have to make that unpleasant phone call.  We don't want to take the time to finish something because we have gotten bored.  We don't want to feel some of the uncomfortable emotions or feelings we will feel when we press through.  

 

6.  Forgetting.  Many times we just forget to do something we said we would do; call someone, write a note, make a meal, etc.; we just forgot. 


HOW TO BEGIN TO FOLLOW THROUGH
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Beginning to follow through really is possible......you just have to follow through on the habit of following through!

1.  Pay attention to what you are committing yourself to and why.  Don't commit to something you don't have a passion for, time for or energy for. 

2.  Press On.  Pressing on and pressing through are two lessons I have learned the hard way.  It is my choice to stop or press on and when I choose to press on, in spite of how I feel, I win every time!  It is easier to give up when things are hard but when you press through the hard stuff of life, eventually you will come to breakthrough; you will get to the other side.  

3. Be deliberate.  When you walk in the door or office, make sure you take those few extra moments to put things where they belong or take 15 minutes to do it at the end of the evening.  When you are going through the day, take regular "timeouts" to self-check if you are being deliberate about your day or see if you are mindlessly going through another day. 

4.  Self-talk.  This is one of my strategies to make myself follow through.  Many of you have heard me say, I have a problem with unloading the dishwasher.  I will start, get bored and leave it with the door open and dishes sitting on the counter.  Not sure what that is all about but it just is what it is.  I have to talk to myself and tell myself to go back finish it, that it won't take long and it will be worth it.  Ridiculous?  Maybe but it gets it done and it can work for you.  Your brain is telling you something all the time anyway, so why not control some of what it is telling you!

5.  Make a note or schedule the time.  Put things you need to do on a list of things to do or put it on your calendar.  If it doesn't get done, keep moving it to your current to do list until it gets done or your realize it shouldn't be there in the first place.  

6.  Delegate or get help.  Many times we need help completing a task.  This can mean you involve family, friends, co-workers or of course your friendly professional organizer!  Whoever it is, when it is time to ask for help, by all means, enlist help.

Follow through is a habit. You absolutely do what you have to do and following through should be no exception.  When you have the mindset that you don't have to follow through, then most of the time you won't but if you believe that following through is the only option, then most of the time you will.   
It is possible to begin to do better at following through......beginning today!

LIFE COACH CORNER
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Connecting to your authentic self is as much about knowing what you're good at as it is knowing what you struggle with. ~Anonymous~
 
Many times we don't follow through because we have said yes to things we shouldn't.  We are trying to do things that do not speak to our authentic selves.  We are trying to be someone else.  
Know who you are, know what you struggle with, know where your talents lie.  All of these things add up and make for a happier, more fulfilled you. 

SEMINAR 
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How To Sell Your Unwanted Items

Date:  September 26, 2013

Time:  6:30 - 9:00

Location:  West of New Bern Fire Department - Meeting Room


Bring fully charged Laptop or IPAD if you have one.  If not, don't worry, come on anyway.  I will have one set up so you can follow as we work step by step through the selling process.   

This seminar will cover all the steps involved in the selling process.  I will go over each of the many places to sell an item, including Ebay and Craigslist,  how to price your item, how to list an item, how to upload pictures of your item and other things involved in the sale. 

Cost:  Pre-register by September 22nd - $40

Cost at the door $50

Cash, Check and Credit Card accepted

E-mail declutterbugnc@gmail.com to register. 

Keep It Simple Girl and Leigh & Co. Give Back
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Keep It Simple Girl and Leigh & Co. have teamed up to do our part to collect needed items for some very deserving charities during the year. 
 All donations will be collected at Leigh & Co. Salon located at 
2500 Trent Rd, Ste 12 - in the same shopping center with 
Kitchen on the Trent. 
  
In September we will be collecting canned goods for RCS. RCS is the local shelter and food bank for New Bern.  They do a tremendous job at helping those that are in need.  Donations are historically lower in the summertime and we want to make sure that RCS's shelves remain stocked for those that are in need of food.  Please do your part by donating canned goods and non-perishables. 
 
Come by, say hey to Leigh and the gang and put your donation into our box!  

Quick Links...
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Contact Information
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PEGGY BARNES, CPO

phone: 252.670.2951

 

  

                

 


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