 English Channel swimmer, public speaker and communication strategist, Kate Nugent Curtis has been helping business executives succeed for over 20 years. Founder of Communication Tactics and Grounded in Strength, Kate applies the principles of athletic success to push performance both in and out of the conference room. She is the author of Six-Word Lessons for Strength-Based Business Success.
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 Are you feeling pressure to “be productive” with things around the house while you’re spending more time at home? There are lots of posts and encouragement to tackle big projects during the new-found “downtime” everyone supposedly suddenly has on their hands or to “keep busy” to ward off boredom. Maybe you don’t have much, if any, “extra” time on your hands. Perhaps you’re processing this pandemic and all the changes it has brought and find you actually need LESS to “do” right now, not more. Maybe you’re home-schooling children while working part or full-time from home, as well. First and foremost (and not that you need it), we give you permission to just “be” when you need to. Focus on the fundamentals of your physical wellbeing, your mental wellness, taking care of yourself, your family and your required work. Busy, versus productive Doing projects around the house or extra things for work might not be a priority right now and that’s ok. Being “busy” does not equal being productive. Our definition of productivity is “achieving desired results” and right now your desired result might be to take care of the basics and preserve your energy for yourself and others. In addition to having stages of processing, and each stage requiring different things from us, we may have different levels of energy on any given day while we process. Some days you may need more rest. Some days you may only have the energy for what is non-negotiable in your work or life, and some days you may want to engage in something new, different or meaningful to lift your spirits and feel particularly accomplished or valuable. Honor your energy. Honor your needs. But when you have the energy, here are a few ideas! For those days when you have the energy or desire for something else to do, we’ve created a list of shorter duration projects and activities, many of which can be done in under 30 minutes. These could provide a break from work and schooling and/or leave you feeling like you’re doing something to better yourself or your future situation. You could pick one on any given day, or if you do find that you have the time and motivation to work on a bigger project, combine any number of these for a project that may take a couple of hours, a half day, or even a full day. For example, all closet-related tasks could become a total clean-out and organization of the closet session if you have the time, energy and will. In this series of posts, today we will focus on improving or completing quick tasks around your home. As you’re spending more time there, you may be looking around noticing clutter, that things aren’t arranged in the way that you want, or may just be looking to streamline or make things easier or better. Below are a number of relatively “quick hit” ideas for accomplishing some of that. Remember, you can combine several that logically can go together (or relate to the same space at home) if you have a longer chunk of time or the desire for more significant change at once.
Want more clutter-clearing motivation? Over the next week, we’ll be building on to this list to include specific spaces around your home, work-related organizational tasks that can help you to be more productive, self-care and personal development activities, and activities you can do to tap into your creative side or nurture others. If you’re looking for some additional clutter-clearing motivation, consider a membership in our “It’s About Time” virtual productivity program. During the month of April, we will be focusing on Minimalism, clearing clutter and organizing your physical space and stuff. Want to release over 450 items from your home, office and life in just 30 days? Join us for our Minimalism Challenge, starting April 1st, 2020! Note: the video associated with the Minimalism Challenge link, above, was recorded for last year’s challenge, which was held in May. We are excited to be starting the challenge this year today, April 1st, as it seems like the right time.  Debbie Rosemont, Certified Professional Organizer and Productivity Consultant, started Simply Placed, in 2003 to help clients increase productivity, maximize efficiency and bring balance and control into their work and lives. Simply Placed associates work with individuals and businesses to create effective organizational systems, clear clutter, successfully manage time, focus on priorities and achieve goals. They help people work smarter, not harder, to increase their bottom line and peace of mind through consulting, hands-on organizing, and group training. They can be contacted at 206-579-5743 or info@itssimplyplaced.com.
Many people are being asked to temporarily work from home, if possible, during the current COVID-19 outbreak, and some are choosing to do so voluntarily. Working from home does have its benefits, including no commute, the ability to wear pajamas “to the office”, and being a little more flexible in your schedule. However, it also comes productivity challenges. With several schools being closed and kids also home, some people might fall into the trap of it feeling like a “weekend” or holiday. But most people still have work deadlines to meet and projects to complete. If you are prone to procrastinate, struggle with staying focused or have trouble sticking to a routine or schedule, we have some strategies that can help you get over these hurdles and get your priority work done from wherever you may be.
It is also important that you plan breaks to step away from your work at regular intervals. For example, take a half hour a couple times each day to get outside for some fresh air and take the dog for a walk around the block – it’s a win/win for you and for the dog! Remember the same good practices you use at your office for how often you are checking text messages, social media and the stock market. Once you finish your priority work for the day, leave “the office”. Remember to maintain work/life harmony and not work past your usual hours just because your office is just down the hall. Shut down your computer and spend some extra time when you would otherwise be commuting to connect with your family in whatever way is meaningful for them and for you. And remember, working from home doesn’t mean you need to live in total isolation (unless you are under quarantine). If everyone is healthy, you can still meet up with your work team in small groups, if necessary, or get together outside for a hike and some team building time in nature. Just be sure to practice smart habits like good hand-washing and consider alternate greetings to shaking hands. Debbie Rosemont, Certified Professional Organizer and Productivity Consultant, started Simply Placed, in 2003 to help clients increase productivity, maximize efficiency and bring balance and control into their work and lives. Simply Placed associates work with individuals and businesses to create effective organizational systems, clear clutter, successfully manage time, focus on priorities and achieve goals. They help people work smarter, not harder, to increase their bottom line and peace of mind through consulting, hands-on organizing, and group training. They can be contacted at 206-579-5743 or info@itssimplyplaced.com.
 “Say not in grief he is no more but in thankfulness that he was.” Hebrew proverb I ran across this online today, and it sparked so much in my heart, brain, and soul that I had to add it to my blog. I had just been talking to my sister, Rita, about my first love, Michael. He died at a very young age. I am so grateful that Michael was. I am still heartbroken that he died so tragically, but this reminder to be thankful for the time he was on the planet lifted up my spirits. We can wallow in our grief and pain and let it consume us, or we can shift our paradigm and strive for gratitude, grace, and strength. As the proverb suggests we should be thankful for the time we did have with him or her. I personally didn’t deal with Michael’s death for a long, long time. It was too painful, so I buried my grief. As I always tell clients, you cannot run away from grief. Eventually, it will rear up and bite you on the Okole. I am proof of that fact. You have to feel it, roll with it, face it, and embrace it or it will bring you to your knees. Denial is an excellent place to hide out for a while, but it cannot last without causing a landslide of pain for you later. Be brave. Be mindful of your emotions. Be true to yourself. You don’t have to be strong for others (different story sometimes if you have kids). Be thankful and take care of you. As my client friend Candi likes to say, “put on your own oxygen mask first.”  Shirley Enebrad is a Certified Grief Recovery Specialist with 25 years of experience. For her many years of work with pediatric cancer patients and those grieving the loss of a loved one, she received the Jefferson Award for Outstanding Public Service and the Angel of Hospice Award. She is the author of Six-Word Lessons on Coping with Grief and Six-Word Lessons for Surviving a Devastating Diagnosis.
 When grievers are told that they should be “moving on”, what exactly does that mean? It was the topic of intense consternation for one of my clients recently. The first anniversary of her husband’s sudden death just passed. Seemingly intelligent people that she thought cared about and understood her asked, “Are you ready to start dating again?” Or said things such as; “Don’t you think it is time to move on?” Moving on and getting on with your life are not the same things to those grieving the death of a loved one. A person can get on with living but choose not to “move on” from the loss of whoever died. Grief is individualized. You can take two people who experienced the death of their spouses at the exact same time, the same point in their relationship, from the same cause and each, will have completely different ways of coping with his or her feelings. They will not have the same depth of feelings. They will not heal at the same pace. They will not have the same experience. That is because the way we each deal with grief has been shaped by our lifetime of exposure and reaction to a death. So, if you have not witnessed the horror of watching your spouse die while you felt helpless and hopelessly out of control do NOT presume to tell anyone else how he or she should feel or live. It is not helpful and will likely get you cussed out, punched in the face or unfriended at the very least. Be there for the griever. Tell him or her, I want to help you. Let me help you. I am here to help, to listen, to hold your hand in silence. Please do NOT make the griever’s painful experience about you. Do NOT say, “I miss him too.” “I loved her too.” “Call me if you need help.” Grievers don’t want to hear how the worst thing that has ever happened to him or her affects you. He or she is in the trenches and trying to survive. He or she will not have the energy to call you to ask for help. They won’t be able to reach out. So, if you truly care about a person who just had death destroy his or her plans for a future with the one who died, stay in touch. Check on him or her. Do not go silent and wait for the griever to reach out to you. He or she will see and feel your lack of contact as abandonment at the time he or she needs your support the most. Be a rock. Be there. Stand strong.  Shirley Enebrad is a Certified Grief Recovery Specialist with 25 years of experience. For her many years of work with pediatric cancer patients and those grieving the loss of a loved one, she received the Jefferson Award for Outstanding Public Service and the Angel of Hospice Award. She is the author of Six-Word Lessons on Coping with Grief and Six-Word Lessons for Surviving a Devastating Diagnosis.
 “The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for.” —Zig Ziglar Who was the last person you thanked? Do you remember how it made you feel? When we pause and reflect on someone or something we are grateful for, that brings a shift in our emotional state and consciousness that has many benefits. Practicing gratitude makes you more productive Studies have shown a correlation between gratitude and improved health, but did you know that taking just a couple of minutes each day to practice gratitude also help you to be more productive at work and at home? Beyond making you more productive, practicing gratitude makes you feel less stressed and can help you to sleep better at night. When you are relaxed and well-rested, you will be more effective and efficient at carrying out tasks and achieving goals. Gratitude feels good A feeling of gratitude can have an overall positive impact on your health and well-being. Practicing an attitude of gratitude is one of the easiest and most effective habits to embrace. When you’re in a thankful mindset, you’re better equipped to meet the challenges of your day. Giving thanks has as many benefits for the person who is handing out the appreciation as it does for the recipient. Gratitude releases dopamine, and makes everyone feel better. And when gratitude is given at work, did you know it can make you more productive? When people are thanked for a job well done, it motivates them to work harder. The best part is that it doesn’t cost you anything to recognize and appreciate people for their efforts. How we think, and ultimately what we say aloud and write down, has a tangible impact on how we feel. Try incorporating simple statements of gratitude every day at work, for things both big and small. Practicing gratitude is easy Research on the effects of gratitude have found that people are more likely to make progress on their goals when they write down the things that they are grateful for. What are some ways you can practice gratitude?
Spending just 5 minutes each day thinking about what you are grateful for trains your mind to focus on the positive things in your life. Expressing thanks is a great thing to practice, and adding it to your collection of daily success habits can help you be more productive, as well. To help you get started, there are some terrific apps that you can use, such as “The Five-Minute Journal”. If you start and end your day with a mindset of gratitude, you’ll be more productive and successful at reaching your goals. Expressing thanks can lead to feeling healthier and happier, so it’s a great thing to practice often. Adding it to your collection of daily success habits can help you be more productive as well. Reflect on and express gratitude for the things and people in your life. Try and make this a daily habit: it’s good for your health AND your productivity! Want more strategies, motivation and accountability to live your most organized and productive life, and to have more time for what matters most? Join Simply Placed’s It’s About Time – Virtual Productivity Program. Register today and then email marilyn@itssimplyplaced.com to request a free copy of Six Word Lessons to be More Productive, as our gift to you to thank you for joining the program. Here’s to your organized and productive life!  Debbie Rosemont, Certified Professional Organizer and Productivity Consultant, started Simply Placed, in 2003 to help clients increase productivity, maximize efficiency and bring balance and control into their work and lives. Simply Placed associates work with individuals and businesses to create effective organizational systems, clear clutter, successfully manage time, focus on priorities and achieve goals. They help people work smarter, not harder, to increase their bottom line and peace of mind through consulting, hands-on organizing, and group training. They can be contacted at 206-579-5743 or info@itssimplyplaced.com.
 Today I happened upon an article about grief attributed to Christopher Walken. It struck a chord with me as he said essentially what I always tell people. You never stop missing the loved one who died; eventually, you get used to the big hole the death leaves in your heart, mind, and soul. Earlier this week, while visiting with my friend Wanda whom I have known since Jr. High, she brought up my first love Michael Poth. We were junior/senior high sweethearts. He was funny, charming, attractive, fun loving, and also very reckless. When I called him out on his daredevil antics and told him how stupid it was to ride a motorcycle on a dark country road with no light and with no helmet, Michael told me that he knew he would die young, so he was going to live it up. I couldn’t handle what I saw as self-destruction. I loved to have fun, too. I just didn’t want to see him die foolishly. We broke up. Several years later, his premonition came true when he broke his neck in a diving accident on a river that left him paralyzed from mid-chest down. Right after, I heard about it from his brother, I went to see him at the hospital. He was happy to see me. I yelled at him for being so careless. He said “carefree.” I said, “careless.” Now, you get a glimpse of our complicated relationship. Anyway, we hugged and cried. Then, he confided in me that he went out of his body and saw himself drowning below. His legs didn’t work after his head hit a boulder under the surface of the river. He consciously decided to inhale water to end his life, but he shot back into his body in time to look up into the light streaming down and saw a young man diving into the water to save him. He held on. Michael was afraid to tell anyone about his out of body experience. He didn’t want people to think he was crazy. It just so happened that I had read articles written by and about Elisabeth Kubler-Ross. I reassured him he was fine. I visited him at the hospital every day. He survived for several years afterward and spent almost all of that time in one of two hospitals. During that time, he learned to get around in a wheelchair, dress, and sort of take care of himself. all while he tried so hard to keep his spirits up. When the swelling eventually went down, his brain injuries caused seizures. He didn’t survive one of them. He was in a coma for eight months or so before his body finally shut down. While I grieved privately about Michael after he died I did not talk to anyone about our relationship and its ups and downs. I kept my memories to myself. Anyway, my little trip down memory lane with my friend Wanda affected me deeply. I cried on my drive home. It has been many years since he crossed over the rainbow bridge. I haven’t had any visits or dreams for a long while. But just talking about Mike sent me right back to our time together. There is still a big hole in my heart with his name on it. So, you truly never forget. You get used to not being able to see or touch him or her. Good memories are important. But I can also attest to the fact that sad ones are too. Honestly, he will never be forgotten. He was my first love.  Shirley Enebrad is a Certified Grief Recovery Specialist with 25 years of experience. For her many years of work with pediatric cancer patients and those grieving the loss of a loved one, she received the Jefferson Award for Outstanding Public Service and the Angel of Hospice Award. She is the author of Six-Word Lessons on Coping with Grief and Six-Word Lessons for Surviving a Devastating Diagnosis.
 The other day I had a discussion with someone about our mutual friend who had been an on-air personality and reporter both radio and television for all of his adult life. When he aged out and lost both positions he was devastated. Storm clouds moved in and he became very unhealthy very quickly and seemed to give up. I was so sad to think his loss of identity hit him like a category 5 hurricane. The discussion got me thinking about the myriad of reasons why people grieve, and how some folks might not recognize grief and therefore do not get the help needed to weather their personal storm. I am a Certified Grief Recovery Specialist. The founders of the Grief Recovery Methods define grief as “the conflicting feelings caused by the end or change in a familiar pattern of behavior.” They cite a scale of stressors created by psychiatrists Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe, which details the 40+ life events that are most liable to create feelings of grief, and in turn, cause illness and other health-related problems. The founders of Grief Recovery Methods switched the purpose of identifying stress to grief and added a few of their own.
Side note: I cannot say it enough, the so-called Seven Stages of Grief, were not created for grievers. Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross came up with those stages when describing what she witnessed with patients who were dying. Her work with death and dying inspired the worldwide creation of thanatology courses in colleges and universities. She was at the forefront of the knowledge that dying patients should be treated with honesty, dignity and caring not stuck in the room at the far end of the hallway with the least amount of interaction with hospital staff. She started her work in the ’60s. Sadly my brother Bobby died exactly five years ago in 2014 and I watched in horror when he was moved into the last room on the right in the oncology unit. Nothing had changed. Ironically there was a huge banner out in front of this hospital proclaiming it the #3 hospital in the Nation for patient care. I was quite angry when I saw it. What a joke. (Full story for another time.) Anyway, I hope this list gives you insight into your own feelings and emotions as well as those around you who might be grieving and don’t even know it. There is recovery from life’s powerful storms. But, you have to see it and seek help to navigate your way through it.  Shirley Enebrad is a Certified Grief Recovery Specialist with 25 years of experience. For her many years of work with pediatric cancer patients and those grieving the loss of a loved one, she received the Jefferson Award for Outstanding Public Service and the Angel of Hospice Award. She is the author of Six-Word Lessons on Coping with Grief and Six-Word Lessons for Surviving a Devastating Diagnosis.
 When you suffer a devastating loss either from death, divorce or abandonment it changes you. You may not even realize it. Our focus is loss from death. Suddenly you notice that you are not hanging out with the same people, and many of the people you have pulled away from were previously very good friends or relatives. You may be angry or grumpy more often than not. You may be weepy or tired or just plain sad. When the numbness of the loss starts to lighten up and you are paying more attention it can be that you realize your priorities have changed. Some folks whom you once thought you had so much in common with now seem juvenile in their behavior and not as interested in the world you now value more due to the shift in your priorities. The death of a loved one does that to you. You realize that partying, shopping excessively, drinking, or other things that occupied your time just seem trivial now. Loss changes you. It can be a wake-up call to be healthier and to take better care of yourself and others. It can make you see that you should spend your precious time doing more important activities such as putting yourself first…lose weight, stop bad habits, start working on your bucket list, enjoy life. That doesn’t mean you ignore your family or other obligations. It just means you get to set your priorities. Embrace the new you. Some folks want to get through their grief and go back to who he or she was before the death. That isn’t usually possible because you have evolved. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross loved to say, “Should you shield the canyons from the windstorms you would never see the beauty of their carvings.” It is so true. You are shaped by the storm you endured. A new you has been created. It is okay to say goodbye to people who no longer share your values. Think of it as outgrowing them. I liken it to when you switched from elementary to middle and middle to high school you probably didn’t keep the same friends. You may have kept a small core group but not everyone because as you grew older yours and their interests changed. No apologies needed. Wish them well but don’t hang on to people who ignored you when you needed support or who are more interested in numero uno. Cherish those who were there for you during your dark days. For what it’s worth, I give you permission to put yourself first so that you can focus on healing. Be the canyon. Enjoy the new you.  Shirley Enebrad is a Certified Grief Recovery Specialist with 25 years of experience. For her many years of work with pediatric cancer patients and those grieving the loss of a loved one, she received the Jefferson Award for Outstanding Public Service and the Angel of Hospice Award. She is the author of Six-Word Lessons on Coping with Grief and Six-Word Lessons for Surviving a Devastating Diagnosis.
 One of my clients just told me how much she hates people. I am pretty sure that is exactly what she is feeling. I applauded her truth telling. She went on to explain that it makes her feel like striking out when well meaning friends and acquaintances tell her how happy they are that she is on Facebook or the fact that she has a new man in her life… her kitten. As if a kitten replaces her dead husband. I am floored by the comments people make at times. I encouraged her (as I do most grievers I have interacted with) to write down her feelings, write letters to her husband and all of people who have ticked her off by saying selfish, unfeeling, thoughtless, insensitive, or just down right stupid things. I am hoping she will start a blog for widows expressing her truth. We talk about how so many people fake it through life and for whatever reason are not authentic about expressing how they are really feeling. It can be especially obvious when people try to cheer you on because the person is so uncomfortable interacting with you as you grieve. They want you to feel better because it affects them. How does that help the griever? It really doesn’t. So, my belief is that when someone asks how you are doing? Tell them honestly. “I am feeling ___________.” or “My life rather sucks at the moment because I am grieving.” “There is no time limit on grief.” “Even though I am here at work or out having a drink/dinner/fun, or wherever does not mean I am not still grieving.” “I am smiling on the outside but shattered on the inside. Please be careful with me.” Please remember to put yourself first.  Shirley Enebrad is a Certified Grief Recovery Specialist with 25 years of experience. For her many years of work with pediatric cancer patients and those grieving the loss of a loved one, she received the Jefferson Award for Outstanding Public Service and the Angel of Hospice Award. She is the author of Six-Word Lessons on Coping with Grief and Six-Word Lessons for Surviving a Devastating Diagnosis.
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