Top 5 Holiday Tips to Feng Shui Your Office

Transform Your Office, Toss Your Trash, and Make Lots of Space for an Unstoppable 2013!

Tis’ the season for wrapping things up (literally, and figuratively).

It’s also time for looking forward and crafting a plan for the unstoppable year ahead.

And what better way to help bring in the new year than clearing out the clutter, and designing a brand-spankin-new workspace that inspires the heck out of your inner unstoppable entrepreneur – one that is a direct reflection of your boldest dreams.

Even if you’ve revamped things in the recent months, it’s important to continually upgrade your space as you up-level your life. It takes a whole heck of a lot of oomph to build a booked-solid business, and there’s NO better, faster way to increase your confidence AND productivity than by tossing out all the energetic deadweight, and making room for the good things to come.

But truth-be-told, you’re going to have a long, hard haul getting there if your environment is dragging you down.

So your job in the days ahead leading up to good ol’ January 1^st is to rid yourself of everything that’s old, outdated, or has outlived its welcome.

If you want an unstoppable life you want your home to reflect your future – like an office-shaped magnet causing your deepest desires to stick to you like a suit made of Velcro.

Call it Feng Shui. Call it Interior Design. Call it “Acting like a rock star CEO”. But whatever you call it, make it YOUR call-to-action this week.

This is the tool I used to launch my current confidence – and I hope that you will too.

But first-things-first: It’s time to get everything organized, streamlined and oh-so-very-very -beautiful for the amazing things that lie just around the corner . . .

So let’s do a quick review of those elements found in most Unstoppable women’s offices. As we review the list below, get out a piece of paper and a pen and start a list of all those things you’d like to transform in the weeks to come.

Rev up your clutter-clearing engines –– because it’s time to grab the trash bags, pull out the paper shredder, or call up Goodwill to schedule a pick-up. It’s time to have an office that speaks to that 6-figure entrepreneur that you are deep down in side.

TEENSY TIP: Begin this article by skimming through the 10 areas below, and pick the 1 that stands out the most (or is in need of a serious intervention). Then write down at least 1 action you can take and craft a plan to take some action, pronto.

Ready or not – lets get started:

1. Desks

The desk is the biggest piece of furniture in your office – the place where you’re (likely) hanging out for many hours a week. So make sure you create a daily ritual of wiping your desktop clean at the end of each day. It’s a great way to start the morning with a fresh outlook, clear mind, and calm focus.

If you’re like most women, you’re keeping far too many items scattered across your desk – likely tanking your productivity. The best bet is to keep things 100% cleared off. Bare. Empty. Zippo crappo.

Keep only those items essential to your work – and put the rest away.

The less visual noise, the less distractions.

Whatever you DO decide to keep front-and-center, make sure its:

• Uber-minimal

• ONLY something that lights you up!

Here’s the list of what I have on my own desktop: a gorgeous blooming purple orchid; a stack of coasters made from natural slices of amethyst; my beautiful MacBook Pro = all things that make my heart soar.

You want over 95–100% of your desktop real estate to be clean and clear for the work at hand.

And don’t forget the inside of the desk. Remember: you can’t hide in feng shui! Think about those thing you need on a very regular basis –– then make sure those things are within arms reach of your desk chair. Store all the supplies, paperwork, receipts, etc. that you use the most in the drawers or storage within.

I keep all my receipt organization in my desk drawer, along with my daily planning binder, financial records, hole punch, label maker, post-it notes, stapler envelopes and stamps. I never have to leave the comfort of my desk (or waste a moment of time) looking for what I need.

Every moment counts in an unstoppable life. . . . And for an entrepreneur: Time = money!

2. Filing Cabinets + Paperwork

If you’ve got clients (or want more!) then you likely have filing cabinets. But most women have them filled with a whole bunch of outdated material. Things that simply don’t reflect the entrepreneur she’ll be 5 years from today.

Carve out some time to sort through the contents of your filing cabinets – taking time to ask yourself this question:

“Would the women I’m going to be 2 years from today KEEP this?”

If you answer “YES!” – great. If not, toss it, pronto.

But be forewarned: as you’re perusing through your papers, be on the lookout for these sneaky lil’ suckers . . .

Files from former clients – especially ones that were less than ideal!
Past “great ideas” that have come and gone (and just sit around collecting dust)
Things to do “someday” – that you never seem to get around to
Files you haven’t used (or looked at) in several months, years . . . decades!
Outdated financial records, accounts, forms or statements

I realize paperwork is one of the biggest beasts consuming the modern-day woman . . . so prepare yourself to stand strong in the face of this feat! You’ve got to be lovingly ruthless and stop hanging onto things you don’t really need.

It’s tough. It can make you cry. It can feel physically painful. I get it. But it’s got to be done – because WAY to many awesome women are drowning in spaces filled to the brim with outdated energy WAY out of whack with their core unstoppable selves.

If you’re like me, once you get onto a roll you may have to watch out: Because it feels SOOOOOOO good to lighten your load!

Tie down the dog, the kids, your hubby, and the kitchen sink – because once you feel the euphoria of order, spaciousness, beauty, and quiet, you may become a trash-tossin’, feng shui fanatic, too.

As if I need to say it again: ANYTHING that doesn’t sing to your heart and speak to where you’re goin’ has GOT to go.

ASAP.

TIP: Want more info about creating a stealth filing system? Check out David Allen’s book: Getting Things Done

3. Books + Magazines

I’ll admit: I love books! (Perhaps a bit too much.) You may feel the same…

It’s so easy to collect book after book, only to realize there’s just no room to hold all your bound beauties. So the rule-of-thumb is this:

They MUST fit in 1 single, organized row.

I know there are some sneaky women out there who have books 2-3 rows deep, or stacked 1 on top of the other. Perhaps they’re spread out all over the entire house. Or they’re piled high in boxes in your garage.

But if you don’t have room for what you’ve got, then it’s hurting you, not helping you.

DEFINITION: “Having Room” = to be able to comfortably store things that you love so you can access them easily… Where everything has a home, and you can find and use your belongings with ease.

Having endless unread books surrounding you day and night can also be a not-so-happy (untrue) reminder of: how “behind” you are, how much there is to do, and how there’s just not enough hours in the day to get it all done.

Gag.

THAT kind of crappy thinking can zap your batteries in a heartbeat. (I’ve been there – I know, first hand.)

So if you’re in need of a book intervention, here’s an idea to help you pare down your collection:

Get a Kindle, iPad or e-Reader

These small, stealth devices are teensy, portable, and can be quite inexpensive – capable of holding a lifetime’s worth of reading (and some!) in its small portable shell.

To be honest, I was a total skeptic once – but I’ve come to love my Kindle and iPad as much (of not MORE) than actual books . . . (Who knew?)

I love to download preview samples of every book that peaks my interest (which averages about + a day!) – that way if I find myself sitting down to breeze through a sample chapter, then and ONLY then do I make the leap to purchasing the entire book.

This not only will save you tons of room in your home – but also countless dollars a year if you’re a book-addict like me.

4. Receipts, Money + Finances

Since finances are so important to your business success, doesn’t it make sense that everything involving money is handled with the utmost care?

Keep your checkbook, calculator, stamps or spare change in a beautiful container – and ideally within arms-reach of your desk (or wherever you work on your money management tasks).

I keep all of my financial goodies in a beautifully carved wooden box. My calculator has buttons made of sparkling gems. And all my financial papers are held in place by a giant “diamond” paperweight.

Add a fun flair to these objects adds even more abundant oomph to the task at hand.

BONUS TIP: Would you love to do your taxes in just 15 minutes on January 1^st?

Then make sure to have labeled file folders inside your desk (or nearby filing cabinet) so you can instantly slip receipts into their corresponding category.

Take a few minutes each day/week/month to add them into Quicken or Quickbooks – or better yet, hire a bookkeeper to do it all for you!

Then simply print out your expense records on January 1st, send the info to your accountant, and bundle your receipts into a storage box. Voila! You’re done.

*For more in-depth training on money, mindset, tracking, saving and oodles more, you may want to check out one of my post popular products: Unstoppable Money: http://www.UnstoppableMoney.com — Many women who’ve taken this class have saved hundreds a month – and tens-of-thousands a year – just from this class alone!

5. Office Supplies

General office supplies require TLC, too.

And if you’ve been around me for a while, you already know my 50-50 rule: shoot for having all containers, cabinets and closets 50% EMPTY.

I know that can be terrifying, but if your office is a direct reflection of your life and career, don’t you want to make plenty of room for new, unbelievable things to flood in?

Objects you’ll likely be dealing with are:

• General supplies (paper, printer cartridges, envelopes, business cards, etc.)

• Marketing Binders

• Training manuals + CD’s

• Client Gifts

The same rules above apply here as well: if there’s not enough room, things have got to go.

So look for areas where it’s tough to get to things easily (without leaving a pile of chaos in your wake!) – that’s a sure-fire sign that you’ve packing too much into a small space.

Make a note of these challenging spots. Then scan your entire office, asking yourself:

Does everything have a “home” – a spot JUST for it, and it alone?
Is this home clearly marked or labeled or distinguished in some way (via containers, boxes, etc.)?
Is everything stored in its most LOGICAL place?
Are all objects easy to access – with plenty of free space for new things to come in?

Planning a little today will save you TONS of time tomorrow.

When tackling any organizing task: the majority of your time will be spent PLANNING out where things should go. If you take the time to do it right at the get-go, then those areas stay put, stay organized, and stay uplifting to your senses for years to come. . .

While I know it can be time-consuming, carve out some space to figure out your systems – or better yet, hire a pro to help you do it! When you have the right “home” for everything, it becomes effortless to keep your space looking great . . .

Whatever items don’t make it to your final cut need to hit the trash bin or go into some type of storage area: the basement, garage or separate storage unit. But make no mistake: Storage spaces need to be organized, labeled and streamlined, too!

If you find yourself having trouble getting rid of anything, be on the lookout for any brain-beliefs that reinforce these common lies:

The world is not trustable.
Life is not safe.
You are not good enough.
Terrible things will happen.
You’re all alone.
You’re sooooooo behind on EVERYTHING!!!!!!

An unstoppable woman can’t surround herself with these sneaky saboteurs . . .

If anything you own does NOT reflect your most Unstoppable Future-Self — it’s garbage (at least to you). And who wants an office filled up with energetic baggage like that?

FOR INFORMATION ADDICTS: If you’re up to your eyeballs in marketing binders, listen up: having too much awesome information around you can cause an overabundance of mental noise — causing even the most savvy + strong to spin her wheels and get nowhere, fast.

So go back and review these 5 areas of your office today.

Don’t get overwhelmed. Don’t get intimidated. Every great act started with one small, tiny step . . .

And that can all start with just 1 object moved. 1 drawer sorted. 1 closet cleaned. 1 pile put away.

As a holiday treat for thanking YOU for stepping up, and streamlining your space this month, I’d love to offer you a very special New Year gift to support your efforts, and help move you forward faster:

50% off both of my feng shui training programs through December 31^st.

Your Space for Success: The Ultimate Room-by-Room System (Pay in Full Only)— Now only $247!
Your Space for Success: Starter Kit — Now only $47!

*Use coupon code FSHOLIDAY when you check out.

To learn more, visit:

http://www.jointheunstoppables.com/store/

Feng shui is the tool that helped launch my career, and blasted my confidence to the moon. I want that for you, too. So I hope you enjoy this very special gift – from me, to you . . .

Have an Unstoppable Holiday!!!!