Are You Being a Digital Squirrel?

Recently, I had a conversation about information overload with a local community college instructor named Don. He and I were discussing the various ways I could attack my biggest project – the renaming of my company from “Mattson Business Services, Inc.” to something a bit more exciting, easier to spell, and more descriptive of what [...]

It’s the Doing That Matters

Action leads to more action which yields results – especially in the case of prospecting for business. Having a system or a process for doing this regularly fills your marketing pipeline for the future. Just do it!

Email is not the Boss of You

Or it shouldn’t be, anyway! Unfortunately, many professionals in business today feel that not only is email the boss of them, it’s Ruler, Jailer, and Taskmaster combined in one. So what’s a person to do? Is there a solution to email overwhelm? Can someone actually manage it without spending ¾ of their day on it? [...]

20 Truths About “Getting Organized”

The point of getting organized shouldn’t be to “fit more in” – this goes for clothes, tasks, files, or email. Organizing just for the sake of “getting organized” is a bit like paddling in circles – you’re creating movement, but you’re not getting anywhere. What’s the point? The most beautifully labeled filing system won’t work [...]

Why Prioritize?

Carolyn is an overwhelmed small business owner.  She’s juggling a dozen clients who each have specific needs, deadlines, and expectations. Unfortunately, Carolyn hasn’t ever sat down to prioritize her client list. I know, I know – “My clients are all equally important,” you say. And in a sense, that’s true.  But let’s also look at [...]

The Easiest Way to Get Organized

Jean is a firecracker of a woman – smart, funny, and really damn good at her job. She’s filled with gratitude to be able to work because an illness a few years ago made her so sick she could barely get out of bed. As Jean recovered from illness over the last two years, she [...]

Doing It Differently in 2010

Everyone is writing about setting goals and resolutions for 2010. As an organization and productivity expert, I can’t help but chime in on this! Over and over I see business professionals struggling to stay organized; to manage the e-mails messages that multiply exponentially throughout the day; and to stay on top of their ever growing [...]

It’s ALL just “stuff”

Ok, so I’m going to admit something that often gets me in trouble with clients and my family (mostly my mom). I have a couple of very specific opinions about “family heirlooms” stuff and they go something like this: I see people placing FAR too much emotional weight onto stuff – I call this “incorrect [...]

Decide, create, and delegate

I’m going through a process in my business right now that I’m expanding to teach to my clients. It goes something like this: I’m too busy. I’m working a ton, but not quite billing enough hours. I need to be marketing more regularly, but can’t seem to find the time. My list of potential contacts [...]

Quit buying cheap crap

Cheap crap – in the form of fun, stuff, and food – is readily available. But buying cheap crap has hidden consequences in the form of wasting our natural resources, perpetuating bad labor practices, and ultimately, forcing our children or families to deal with all the “stuff” after we’re gone.