Money clutter is something that not many people talk about. Business owners will admit to paper clutter, digital clutter, mental clutter, but they rarely talk about money clutter. It’s time that we did because it can at least as debilitating to your business as the other types of clutter (which you also need to deal with, by the way!).

Here are 7 steps to get you going on dealing with your money clutter, particularly in the area of credit cards.

1. Make a list of all of your credit cards. Put the information in an Excel spread sheet or a Word doc table or any other easy to organize software (or even use paper and pencil!) Just make a list.

2. Note the balance due on each card currently.

3. Note the closing date for each account (not the due date for paying each month’s bill. Note: You can delegate this to your bookkeeper or other assistant if you want, but there is some value in YOU making this list and these determination. It’s your business, right?

4. Put the date that each account closes into your calendar, planner, tickler system, or some other means that lets you know that your account is now ready to be paid. Note: If you have all of your accounts set up to pay automatically electronically and to pay the amount in full each month, then you have nothing to worry about here. This tip is for the person who cannot always pay the full amount each month and so waits to see what is due and how much is in the account before deciding what to pay. This is clutter, by the way.

5. Line up all your cards (on your chart) so that they are organized by the one with the smallest balance at the top and the largest balance at the bottom. These should be easy to do using the sort function in your table or spread sheet.

6. If you have any credit card debt that you are unable to pay off each month, pay the minimum on all of your credit cards (or other loans) – but that’s not all I’m going to say, so keep reading.

7. Pay as much extra on whatever is the smallest card balance so that you can pay that one off. The idea is that if you have 5 or 10 (or more) credit cards, you want to begin paying them off one by one until you have only one or two main credit cards for work and you pay each one of them off completely, each month. Note: When you pay off one of the credit cards from early in your list, stop carrying it. Don’t cancel it, just stop having it available to continue adding to.

When you have reduced your credit card debt to a manageable monthly pay-off, you will have reduced your money clutter significantly.  Test these 7 steps and see what happens for you.

Write down a problem that you have been trying to deal with (or that you’ve ignored) in your business.

I’ll wait.

OK. I’ll assume you have that written down. Now, change the wording of that problem into a question.

I’ll wait.

OK. I will assume that you now have a great question posed. You want a question that is begging for an answer. You don’t have to write it already knowing the answer…you just have to write it as if you expect an answer (from somewhere, anywhere!)

Now you go to the really fun part, which is generating at least 30 responses to whatever the question is that you asked. Just number a piece of paper, put your question at the top and start writing.

I am quite sure that you might be thinking, “Oh, brother, Meggin. Are you nuts? I can’t come up with 30 ideas, answers, alternatives, ways, or any other label for this question. That’s impossible.”

Actually, no, it’s not impossible. Pretty much the first 12, 13, 14 or so ideas that you or your team generate are the ones you need to get out of the way to allow the really good ones to come through. So often, we stop right about the 12 -15 mark (if we even get that far). And while the real answer MIGHT be in that group, if you don’t push past that, you won’t really know. I can literally feel a shift when I blast through the first easy ones. It’s quite interesting and fascinating (and very cool). Dee Hock said,

The problem is never how to get new, innovative thoughts into your mind, but how to get old ones out. Every mind is a building filled with archaic furniture. Clean out a corner of your mind and creativity will instantly fill it.

This activity is one way to do this. Start writing and feel free to blast right past the 30 mark. There is nothing magical about 30 and certainly should not be seen as an upper limit. I just needed to give you a target that was well past the dozen where you’re likely to write the standard responses. You need and want to get to the newer, fresher, more creative ideas.

So just write. Don’t stop. Don’t think you’ve exhausted the answers. As long as you have working brain cells, there are more ideas.

NOW you have some ideas and solutions to choose from. I believe with my whole heart, that there are no problems that cannot be solved through people putting their creative minds to work.

Join me in that belief and in living that way.

Often, you need to make changes in your upcoming appointments and commitments. Many people aren’t sure how to let others know that an appointment needs to be changed or a deadline won’t be met. The best phrase I’ve ever found is “It turns out….” Use the phrase, “It turns out…” when you need to tell someone that you

• Can’t meet with him;

• Need to reschedule lunch with an acquaintance (and that you’ll get back to her…or not);

• Will have to change your “yes” to a “no” regarding an upcoming holiday party;

• Can still write the letter of support for a grant, but will need the person to send a draft of that letter to you, which you’ll then tweak as needed, put on your letter head and send back;

• Won’t be able to fill in for someone on the carpool for the 10^th time this month;

• Will need to contribute some money to an event rather than being there in person;

• What else?

When you say, “It turns out…” with no further explanation for why you are making the change, you are not being unfriendly, unresponsive, uncaring, irresponsible, or any of the adjectives that your “gremlin” might be saying to you.

You are clearing out space to work on your priorities. All professionals have far more requests for their our time than there is time to commit. You have to make choices. That is part of being a grown up. It’s a huge factor in your success in business and in life.

When you are trying to determine when to use the phrase “It turns out,” evaluate what is in your planner (calendar and to-do list) based on the criterion of importance. If something is not important, get rid of it.

Let me give you a little quick lesson on the difference between urgent and important (because many people get confused).

• important = adj 1: of much import, carrying with it serious consequences; weighty, momentous, grave, and significant. (Oxford English Dictionary)
• urgent = adj 1: pressing, compelling; calling for or demanding immediate action; anything characterized by urgency. (Oxford English Dictionary)

You have probably seen the Urgent/Important matrix, which was brought into popular culture by Stephen Covey, but was talked about by leadership and time management professionals prior to Covey’s book, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. If you haven’t seen it, just Google it and you will see examples.

What I want you and everyone else reading this article to do is to remove appointments and tasks/to-do’s that are NOT important from your planner. Just use “It turns out,” as your power productivity phrase and start making space for your most important projects and commitments.

Good grief, Charlie Brown! Families are running around like crazy–and it’s chaotic, to say the least. Here’s my question: Is this the experience that you want your children, nieces, nephews, parents, and friends to remember about any time spent with you, i.e., that it’s chaotic and crazy? Hmmm….I think not. So, here are some ideas for putting in protected pockets of time and energy for your friends and family.

1. If your children or other members of your family are involved in an organized sport, limit it to one per person per season. This is easier on the child and on the rest of the family.  Running around like a nut is not building anyone’s relationships nor their overall health.  Choose one sport/person/season.

2. Have one day or evening a week that is “off limits” for anything scheduled, at all. Open calendars – heavenly.  These open spaces are protected pockets.  Everyone needs that – especially as a family.  Just be home and eat together, watch a movie, play board games, talk (really…just talk and find out what is happening in everyone’s lives), or whatever else would be pleasant and would help build the relationships and the feeling of ahhhh…space.

3. The “off limits” day refers to you, too. Regardless of whether you are a member of a ‘traditional’ family or friends group, you need a day/evening where you don’t have anything scheduled.  It’s your protected time.  You can rejuvenate and be better for everyone if you have this time and space.

4. Establish ASO time. Too many families are using all their time pockets for screen time (TV, video games, movie rentals, computer, etc.) and should consider instituting limits. Start with an “ASO” time (“All Screens Off”) by a certain hour or until a certain hour.

5. Define what pockets look and feel like for you, as far as your relationships and time with friends and family. First, get clear for yourself - and then let others in your personal circle know.  Next, find out what it looks and feels like for them. You might be surprised.

Putting in protected pockets for and with your family and friends help keep chaos at bay–and let you lead a life that is more peacefully productive. That’s what you want isn’t it?

As an adult, have you ever said, “Gosh, I have so much time and no real idea what to do with myself.” HA! It is, of course, the opposite.  Day after day, everyone is saying, “Yikes, I have way more to do that I can possibly do!”  Here are five ideas to help put ‘pockets’ (i.e., protected places and spaces) of time in your life.

1. Use a planner. When you write in a commitment of any type, add time before and after that commitment. It might be 10 minutes on either side or an hour on either side, just depending on the type of commitment.  The ‘padding’ you are putting in will be your ‘pockets’ and will help you stay sane.

2. Use just one planner. Put everything that you and your family do on that calendar that might have an impact on you. For example, if your spouse has an evening meeting, even though you don’t have to attend, you should place that on your calendar. It might affect you because you’ll be responsible for the children, you’ll be responsible for making dinner, you won’t be able to take your spouse to another event, etc.

3. Don’t fill up your calendar. Just because there is a space open on your calendar does not mean you have to fill it.  These spaces are your pockets.

4. Prepare stickers/labels to put on your calendar that designate “pocket” time. Once the sticker is on that spot, call it an appointment and don’t schedule on top of that time.

5. Schedule “clearing” or “recover” days. I schedule these days after I have been out of town and need a day to clear the decks or to recover from the travel. It’s not a day off, by any means. It’s a day to clear out the mail and email, to get my wash done, to return phone calls that couldn’t be returned while on the road, to get all my “stuff” put away. A clearing/recover day is a day to clear the decks or to recover so you are ready to hit the ground on the following day.

Consciously putting in pockets of time is a good first step toward putting pockets throughout your life. I love to write about this topic because it helps me focus on it as well. Check out the resources below to help yourself stay on track with putting in pockets and being more productive.

Do you have items that are on their last legs? That is, have you duct-taped (either literally or figuratively) something that you depend on? What would happen if it stopped working? For example, has your computer done things lately that let you know that the hard drive is just about to die? But you keep hoping it will just hang on a while longer? The last time you used your big flashlight, did you have to bang it against your hand so it would flicker back to life? And how will it be the next time your electricity goes out for a couple of hours and your flashlight doesn’t work at all?

If you don’t have any “pockets” in place with your possessions, then you are courting disaster.  Here are some thoughts on staying away from the disasters:

1. Proactively, you’ll only want to buy the very best you can afford. This is true in every category from kitchen faucets to hair dye to cars. Spend 10% more than you think you can so you’ll save (big time) in the long run.

2. Help the organization where you work understand this as well. Government agencies, in particular, are famous for being expected to “take the low bid.” Sometimes the low bid is the best one, and other times, the agency is ‘stepping over a dollar to save a dime” as the saying goes. You end up spending so much more in the long run if you buy ‘on the cheap.’

3. If, and only if, you are an EXPERT in repair of your particular item, should you attempt to repair anything yourself. When you factor in your time (and the wear-and-tear on your personal relationships) when you attempt to make an amateur repair, the real cost(s) becomes apparent.

4. Keep an up-to-date list of “Experts” in your address book. Put them all under “E.” You’ll forget their names from time to time–especially if the pocket has run out on a particular possession and you need to get something repaired immediately.  You want to be able to find the person who can help you when this happens.

5. If you elect to buy service contracts, write in your planner when you’ll call for your free check-up appointments. It is ever-so-much better to have something checked when it doesn’t need it – so you never have to call when it  has broken down.  And when you have a ‘free’ check up available, for heaven’s sake, use it.

All of these ideas need to be adjusted to fit your circumstances. Proactively put in the pockets you need with your possessions.

How is it that a grown woman/man can procrastinate day after day, month after month, and year after year? Because procrastination works. It keeps you from having to do the task that you just hate to do. Well here’s the news, folks, you can break the habit (if you want to, that is).

1. Keep a procrastination log. (You’ll enjoy this because you’ll be procrastinating from doing something else.) The way a procrastination log works is this: take notes on those items that you know you should be doing, but you just aren’t getting them done. As each item floats into your consciousness, write it down. You can have a special pad or notebook just for this.
2. After a few days of this, look at the items in your log and divide the list into “work” items and “personal” items. Sometimes, you will see a pattern just by doing this step! It’s amazing when you realize that you never procrastinate at work or you never procrastinate on personal items. If this is the case, then you could have some insight into the issue just by knowing this. If not, however, move on to the next step.
3. Look through your lists and see if there are any items that can be done in five minutes or less. Do these immediately! (Now you can check off a few items in your log and this is so very satisfying).
4. Next, look through your lists and tell the truth. Be honest with yourself. Are there items that you’ve written down that you know you’ll never do? Cross them off. They are just bugging you and weighing you down with guilt–and there’s no need for that if you know perfectly well that you will NEVER do them. Just cross them off.
5. “Return” a task that really isn’t yours. This might be a home task or a work task. You probably have a gracious plenty of tasks, responsibilities, and projects that are yours and yours alone. The last thing you need to do is take on any extras. So give the task back to the original owner.
6. Delegate anything on your list that you can reasonably delegate. Can you pay another person (or company) to do one or more of the tasks on your list? It’s possible there are children or teens in your house who would clean up your linen closet/pantry/storage area for $$. Isn’t it worth that to you? And heavens knows that whatever your salary is, you are probably procrastinating items at work that could be hired out to someone who makes less than you do.
7. Is there anything on your procrastination log that really calls for a professional to step in and help you or take over the task? What if the carpet in your home or office is pulling up from the seam and you can’t fix it yourself (nor should you try to!)? Set a specific time every week to make phone calls to professionals to help you with odd tasks like this.
8. Check through your list to see if there are actually procrastinated tasks that you are afraid of. How about that big project your employer asked you to do? Even if you aren’t going to do the task today, make an outline of what must be done to complete the task. Force yourself to complete one item on the outline before you leave work today. Ed Bliss calls this the salami technique. Just slice off a tiny little piece and get it done. Much easier (and tastier) than trying to gnaw on a whole salami.
9. Hmmmm…now what about those tasks on your procrastination log that you hate to do? Accounting, filing, etc.–and it depends on the person what is on this list. If you really can’t stand to do the task, but it’s part of your job, then get to work 10 minutes early for the next several days until these items are caught up. Then designate an early morning time to complete the item on a regular basis.
10. Lastly, don’t allow yourself to whine about your procrastination. In the time it takes you to whine, you could have finished the task.

And a final tip to get rid of the procrastination time thieves is to read Rita Emmett’s book The Procrastinators’ Handbook. It’s worth the time it takes to read the book, believe me. No thievery there!

Quote to Consider (and an action to take):

“You’ve got a lot of choices. If getting out of bed in the morning is a chore and you’re not smiling on a regular basis, try another choice.” ~Steven D. Woodhull

For the next 7 days, just observe how you feel when you get up in the morning.

If it’s a chore on the days you are “going to work” but not on the other days, then that’s something to notice.

If it’s NOT a chore on the days you’re going to work, but it is on the others, then that’s something to notice, too.

See if your face is comfortable going into a smile…and reflect on the last time someone said to you, “You are always smiling.” If you can’t remember the last time someone said that, then see if you can determine why.

See if you notice any patterns as you consciously observe your emotions and behaviors. Do you see any patterns, and in particular, do you notice a pattern that is more in your professional life or your personal life?

Once you have done your self-observations and considered the ideas in this article, then you may be able to identify ‘so what do I do?’ for yourself.  Or you may be looking for other resources to move away from ‘underwhelm’ to being ‘just whelmed.’

One of the free resources for moving toward being ‘just whelmed’ on a consistent basis is being part of the group (worldwide) who receive Meggin’s weekly emails (free!) at:

**I Want to Be Just Whelmed (http://www.JustWhelmed.com)

If you would prefer quick, short weekly tips, then the following site is another place to find suggestions and other tools to support you in your quest for peaceful productivity:

**Top Ten Productivity Tips (http://www.TopTenProductivityTips.com)

If you think you are only in “overwhelm” but not “underwhelm,” please don’t ignore this article.  Believe it or not, you may be in “underwhelm” part of the time or you certainly may know some others who are in “underwhelm” and they could use this information.

In thinking through the reasons why someone becomes (and stays) ‘underwhelmed’, I’ve identified the following three:

• Work (or a life) that doesn’t engage your talents, education, or passions.  Day in and day out, do you feel like you’re an “untapped resource?”  Well, that takes its toll.  

• Work (or a life) that involves people who are uncommitted, uninspired, and unworthy of your attention and talents.  Tell the truth…is the majority of your time spent working with and around people who ‘could care less,’ ‘have retired but still come to work,’ ‘are negative Nellies (or Neds),’ and just generally drain the energy and life right out of you?  

• Work (or a life) where you rarely get a chance to work on anything of importance.  Are you questioning–on a regular basis–why you’re even doing what you do?  Does it seem as if it doesn’t really matter to anyone, particularly in the ‘big scheme of things’? Do you wonder if you’re making a contribution?

If you are currently feeling underwhelmed, see if the feelings can be identified and put into one or more of the 3 categories listed above.  Think about it…right now, which of these is most problematic for you (if any of these are)?  And remember, it may be problematic for you if there are people around you who are underwhelmed.

In our next blog post we will talk about things you need to consider and observations you need to make.

And remember…

“It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” ~Joanne Kathleen Rowling

1. Overwhelmed
2. Underwhelmed, and
3. Just Whelmed

Be very clear on the fact that you are the only person who can distinguish between and among these three for yourself. Each person has a different tolerance overall…and that tolerance also varies depending on what else is going on in a person’s life. Take a look at the definitions below.  As you read through each of these sets of definitions, think about what other words you would add to what is already there? Make each definition your own by adding phrases, words, ideas that apply to you and your situation.

Overwhelmed:

overcome, engulfed, flooded, inundated, overpowered, swamped, frantic, frenetic, shut-down, out of control, crazed, anxious, and…

Underwhelmed:

frustrated, disappointed, discomfited, lethargic, unfocused, bored, and…

Just Whelmed:

productive, energized, jazzed, “in the zone,” challenged, and…

Create a little chart for yourself.  Just make 3 columns or 3 boxes (or whatever format works best for you). Label the 3 sections with “overwhelmed,” “underwhelmed,” and “just whelmed.”  You can then use this chart for the whole week or you can make one for each day; it’s up to you.

Observe yourself moving from one state of being to another and notate it on your chart when it happens. What you’re looking for are patterns in these shifts. For example, do shifts happen:

• at certain times of the day?
• around some people?
• with particular tasks?
• when you’re too hungry? or
• a myriad of other possibilities…

Keep an eye on what is happening and see if you can tell why it might be happening. You’re smart (that’s always the assumption I make). Smart people notice patterns if they’re paying attention. I’m just asking you to pay attention this week. 

Henry Ward Beecher said,

We sleep, but the loom of life never stops, and the pattern
which was weaving when the sun went down is weaving
when it comes up in the morning.

There are patterns in your life related to so many things…but this week, just notice the patterns that are there as you move between and among overwhelm, underwhelm, and “just whelmed.”  And if you would like to continue learning about these three different levels of ‘whelm,’  then the following sites are places to find suggestions and other tools to support you in your quest for peaceful productivity:

** I Just Want to be Whelmed (http://www.justwhelmed.com)

**Top Ten Productivity Tips (http://www.TopTenProductivityTips.com)

(c) 2009 by Meggin McIntosh, Ph.D., “The Ph.D. of Productivity”(tm). Through her company, Emphasis on Excellence, Inc., Meggin McIntosh changes what people know, feel, dream, and do. Sound interesting? It is!