time management tip

And here is where my two worlds collide. Most of my paid work as a consultant is about process in one way or another. Largely it's group process -- helping a team determine more effective ways to work together, for instance -- but sometimes it's also about individual process. Once or twice a year, for instance, I teach a time management workshop for Nonprofit Learning Point, a marvelous program here in Richmond that provides low-cost training for nonprofit professionals.

As a nod to past and future participants in my class, then, I share with you this post about a helpful habit I've developed since we moved into our new upstairs living space. It's something my mom tried to get me to do back in grade school: lay out my clothes the night before. This is particularly helpful if, like me, you start your work around 5:30 in the morning and need to creep out of bed and dress without waking your partner.

Since starting this, though, I've discovered this practice has other advantages than just stealth. One is that I seem to have a lot more outfit selection brain cells at night than I do in the morning, so this avoids the whole staring blankly into the closet phenomenon. And it makes me FAST in the morning. I'm ready, out the door with my laptop, and in my favorite seat at the Starbucks before I have a chance to build up any resistance to getting my work done. Then I spend the next couple hours working on my highest priority items before heading back to my cheerful new home office.

If you happen to bump into me today, you'll find me wearing the very outfit pictured above. Everything was laid out last night -- clothes, shoes, socks, underwear, jewelry. The hook on the back of the door is a helpful place to put the items on hangers. Other items usually go on the counter, but for the sake of this photo shoot, I piled them onto an antique Asian stool we use to get in and out of the soaking tub we splurged on for the new bathroom. Dimmers on the lights in the bathroom make it easy for me to see what I'm doing without blinding myself first thing in the morning.

Now, I understand if this all sounds a little compulsive to you. To each her own. But in my defense, I'll just say that in my online trolling I've come across some bloggers WAY more compulsive than I am. For instance, I've seen pictures people have posted of their closets, filled with complete outfits (including accessories), each on its own hanger. (Click here for an example.)

So, in closing, I guess I'd just say: Think about this little piece of your daily process, and decide what works best for you. Or, if you've already figured it out, post a comment and share your tip here!