Uncluttered Office with Catherine Avery

I brought a poet on to the podcast! Which has absolutely nothing to do with productivity but it’s my podcast soooo. I love poetry and John’s poems are my latest obsession. I HAD to share his brilliance.  We run the gamut from our favorite poets to empathy to tipping points to every day miracles and living a yes and life even in a pandemic.  Buckle up and enjoy the ride.  Links:  Hey God Hey John by John Roedel  Kaitlin Shetler  Every Word You Cannot Say by Iain Thomas  About John Roedel -  John Roedel is a comic, poet and storyteller from Wyoming who did what any middle-aged man does when he starts to fall apart: He started talking to "God" on Facebook, became obsessed with poetry and found a way to turn his tear drops into art.  John Roedel  To learn more about your host, Catherine Avery:   Productivity by Design   Facebook Page and   LinkedIn  To connect with Catherine: Schedule a Call   *We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affilia

We start with Richard’s belief in Authencious automation. How does one automate without losing that authentic connection? You don’t want your automation to be a negative for your customer, so you need to be conscious in your choices.  Riched started by building Messenger Bots and then expanded. He talks about the wins and the challenges in building a business.   Then he explains how automation can work with me and my business challenge as a guinea pig – lucky you! We discuss the importance of setting expectations with our clients and how it’s even more important in the automation process.   We wrap with Richard’s favorite productivity tool which surprisingly doesn’t include any technology at all!  About Richard Schnitzel -   Richard owns and operates a done-for-you automation company helping 6 figure entrepreneurs build the automation they need to scale their business to 7 figures and beyond.  He believes automation doesn’t have to be a dirty word and created the concept of “Authencious” Aut

JimiBeth explains how she coaches corporate teams to leadership in exercises with horses. Her approach is strengths based and focused on building trust. We talk about how you can experience the same office dynamics even on Zoom.  We discuss how the pandemic caused a shift in her business. And how because working with horses is an outdoor activity you can still do these team building exercises in the pandemic.  We wrap up with the importance of in-person connection and the transitions we anticipate occurring as we slowly return to work as usual or new usual.  Links:  StrengthsFinder by Tom Rath  About JimiBeth Myers –  Former professional rodeo performer turned New York City Marketing Head, JimiBeth Myers is a leadership coach helping leaders get promoted while creating happy productive teams.  She uses horses as one of the tools to help leaders and their teams connect, successfully influence others to get more done with greater ease – all while getting their nights and weekends back. 

My guest today, Courtney, describes herself as a digital nomad. She was running a virtual business long before the pandemic and could travel and work from anywhere. We delve into how life has changed for all of us during the pandemic  - how we created micro adventures to fill in the gaps and learned to enjoy a slower pace.  We talk about marketing and how Courtney’s best ideas come while she’s on the bike. Trying to figure out a thorny challenge? Get out of your mind and into your body. Take a walk, ride a bike, do some yoga and see what happens.  We wrap up with our executive function challenges and how we schedule our time to accommodate our best parts of the day.  About Courtney Biehl  Courtney has been working with small businesses in marketing for over 13 years. During that time, she has guided experts find the right words and platforms to attract their best customers.  She gets her best ideas from the bicycle, In 2020, Courtney made it LLC official and launched Ciclista Marketing, special

You’re probably wondering how what you wear and decluttering your closet relate to productivity. Joseph unravels the mystery in this episode.  Joseph helps executive get made, paid and even laid. We talk all about his process which does not even start in your closet. He gets to know you inside and out – what drives you, how your coloring influences your clothing choices, and what archetype you are. Hint – your archetype is about how you want to show up in the world.  This is a bit longer than my usual interview because Joseph is so much fun and we just weren’t going to leave the closet. Join us for Joseph’s brilliance and get a chance to hear which archetypes I represented during our interview.  About Joseph Rosenfeld  Clients see Joseph as a trusted adviser and confidant as he guides them to transform their personal brand and style.  Joseph’s comprehensive consulting engagements allow clients to maintain their focus while he does most of the work behind the scenes.   He makes it easy for cl

Technology is a blessing and a curse. It’s wonderful because we can all reach each other all of the time. And it’s a nightmare because we call reach each other ALL of the time. I’m calling this a digital detox but I’m not telling you to throw out your phone and live in a cabin in the woods. Though the introvert in me likes occasional trips far, far away from the madding crowd. Learn some simple and realistic strategies to reduce your time in the magical land of social media. This Mini Series is 6 bite sized trainings with actionable strategies to unclutter your office space, time and information. These are just a few of the pointers I offer in my From Fog to Focus coaching program. I decided to offer this series to honor the one year anniversary of the global pandemic. Even after a year of working from home, so many people are still struggling with balancing it all. Or they’ve returned to the office and even the simplest tasks of our day to day work has changed. I’d love to know what has helped you most

If you’re wondering why your well has run dry (time for you), you may not know how to set boundaries around your time. Your power comes from the pause.  Learn how to set boundaries by using your calendar for you. Set time for yourself on your calendar every day and honor that appointment like you would one for anyone else.  Tune in to hear self care ideas to put in your calendar so you can be your best self. With a full well you’ll be able to give to others again.  This Mini Series is 6 bite sized trainings with actionable strategies to unclutter your office space, time and information. These are just a few of the pointers I offer in my From Fog to Focus coaching program.  I decided to offer this series to honor the one year anniversary of the global pandemic. Even after a year of working from home, so many people are still struggling with balancing it all. Or they’ve returned to the office and even the simplest tasks of our day to day work has changed.  I’d love to know what has helped you mos

Overwhelmed, need 27 hours in the day. Your time management problems are not just about how you use your time. I’ll let you in on the secret.  Learn why procrastination isn’t always bad and how to use a time tracker to determine your best times of the day.  Tune in to hear quick and easy strategies to plan your calendar. This Mini Series is 6 bite sized trainings with actionable strategies to unclutter your office space, time and information. These are just a few of the pointers I offer in my From Fog to Focus coaching program.  I decided to offer this series to honor the one year anniversary of the global pandemic. Even after a year of working from home, so many people are still struggling with balancing it all. Or they’ve returned to the office and even the simplest tasks of our day to day work has changed.  I’d love to know what has helped you most in this mini series.  To learn more about your host, Catherine Avery:  Productivity by Design   Facebook Page and   LinkedIn   To

The average employee spends out about 1/5 of their work time searching for papers. In part 3 of the Mini Series, I take you through a super easy system to declutter the papers on your desk, your chair, your floor… Well you get the idea.  Tune in to learn how F-A-T, the circular filing system, and the Art of Wastebasketry® will help you get organized.  This Mini Series is 6 bite sized trainings with actionable strategies to unclutter your office space, time and information. These are just a few of the pointers I offer in my From Fog to Focus coaching program.  I decided to offer this series to honor the one year anniversary of the global pandemic. Even after a year of working from home, so many people are still struggling with balancing it all. Or they’ve returned to the office and even the simplest tasks of our day to day work has changed.  I’d love to know what has helped you most in this mini series.   To learn more about your host, Catherine Avery:   Productivity by Design   Facebook P

In part 2 of the Mini Series, I take you through how to set up your office to be a productive environment, especially if you are working in a home office.   Working from home has its own set of challenges – home schooling kids who always want snacks, packages being delivered during a recording, the inevitable dog or cat interruption during an important Zoom meeting (though they are super cute!).  Tune in to learn how to minimize the distractions.  This Mini Series is 6 bite sized trainings with actionable strategies to unclutter your office space, time and information. These are just a few of the pointers I offer in my From Fog to Focus coaching program.  I decided to offer this series to honor the one year anniversary of the global pandemic. Even after a year of working from home, so many people are still struggling with balancing it all. Or they’ve returned to the office and even the simplest tasks of our day to day work has changed.  I’d love to know what has helped you most in this mini ser

Today, I start with how you set your vision for your life or a specific project. Before you set out on a trip, you set your destination. Then you plot the route on a map. Setting your vision is similar. I take you through the exact process I use to set my vision before I get into the planning of any project.   This Mini Series is 6 bite sized trainings with actionable strategies to unclutter your office space, time and information. These are just a few of the pointers I offer in my From Fog to Focus coaching program. I decided to offer this series to honor the one year anniversary of the global pandemic. Even after a year of working from home, so many people are still struggling with balancing it all. Or they’ve returned to the office and even the simplest tasks of our day to day work has changed. I’d love to know what has helped you most in this mini series. To learn more about your host, Catherine Avery:  Productivity by Design  Facebook Page and  LinkedIn  To connect with Catherine: Schedule a Cal

I asked my guest, Lisa Zawrotny, to talk about balancing the many roles that we face in the sandwich generation. She speaks to the important of taking a break in transition.  While clearing physical clutter is important, the work of healing emotional clutter is even more so. We talk about the mindset it takes to let things go especially when we think (know – hah!) we’re right.  We delve into the effects of chronic stress and the pandemic. And how we create systems that honor our thresholds. We wrap with a discussion of the importance of breathing when we’re in those stress filled moments and the power of the pause.  Links:  Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma by Peter Levine  About  Lisa Zawrotny founded Positively Productive Systems after a deeply overwhelming time in her own life juggling multiple roles as a caregiver, wife, mother, and business owner.   Her path to healing using value-based decluttering and customized systems was so profound she knew she had to share it with others.   N

Kat Sturtz lives up to her nickname with her nine lives. She has been there and done that. Now she wraps up all of her years of brilliance to help primarily work from home entrepreneurs thrive. We start with Kat’s Triple A approach to any project in business which is simply adopt, adapt and adjust. Then we delve into how sometimes we can use our procrastination to free up our minds. Finally, Kat offers us a few easy to implement pointers on managing desk clutter. Links: Bob Burg Mailstrom About – Kat’s nickname suits her well. She can be very finicky, has used up several of my nine lives (including being medically revived three times and spending time in a coma), and loves catnaps. As a business life mentor and The Purgatory Relief Coach for People Who Think Marketing is Hell, Kat now works primarily with home-based solopreneurs who are temporarily stumped, stuck, or stalled. She’s the owner and founder of 56 Vibes Services, Rocking Your Path, and You Can Cuisine with my retired chef husband ... and

I asked Clara to join me on the podcast because she had a life changing experience in taking a weekend off. This doesn’t sound like a big deal, but when you’re a military spouse with a couple of kids, you’ve just moved into a hotel in a brand new country, your parents are moving and ALL THE THINGS plus a pandemic, taking a weekend off is a major deal.  We talk about the resistance we feel as parents to get time away followed by the surrender and the release. And that monkey brain chatter that happens when we have nothing planned and nothing to do. Yet it’s so important to unplug, to be a human BEing not a human doing.   But when we rest, the kind where you get bored, it’s transformational.  About Clara Goldberg-Freeman  Clara has been a military spouse for over 16 years, mother to an 11 year-old girl, and a 13 year-old boy.   Two years ago, combining all her life experiences and professional background, Clara started her own business, Clara Mei Consulting.  She is a certified life coach and group facili

My guest, Leo Tumwattana, talks to us today about hyper-scheduling and why it works better than just having a to do list. With a to do list, you don’t have a time commitment for making that action item happen.  When Leo couldn’t find a project/time management tool that met his needs, he created his own, Sorted. One of the things I most admire about Leo is that he incorporates features his users suggest into the app, such as a grocery list (love this!) and emojis.  We discuss how using a project management tool helps you see where you’re spending your time and when you’re most efficient. Leo is a night owl. I’m an early bird.  We wrap up with how hyper scheduling can help the ADHD brain, reduce your stress levels, and free up time you can spend with your family and friends.  Note: Productivity by Design (and the Uncluttered Office) is not an Affiliate of Sorted and has not been an Affiliate during the three months prior to the date hereof.  Links:   Get Things Done by David Allen  Eisenhow

While I love systems and processes, Zach Fisk is a technology genius. We talk processes with me providing the overview and Zach explaining his favorite technology to fill in the gaps. Zach uses a combination of Google Tasks and Notion to get his tasks done.  Zach reviews a whole host of the tools within Google Suite and how he uses them to balance his work and fun.  You won’t want to miss the many ways you can keep up with your contact list and the importance of themes.  Links:  Atomic Habits  Jacquie Lawson e-cards  Bob Burg Cards   About –  Zachary Fisk is a technologist, productivity tool enthusiast, and nature advocate.   He recently launched ZNFConsulting to assist non-tech savvy small business operators to integrate technology into their workflows.  In his spare time, he enjoys hiking and practicing mobile photography and desktop editing.   ZNF Consulting   To learn more about your host, Catherine Avery:   Productivity by Design   Facebook Page and   LinkedIn 

Dan Paulson and I start our conversation about systems with our why. So we can spend time with our families. Ideally, in beautiful places not just home. For Dan, that’s a home on the Lake of the Ozarks. Dan lives in Wisconsin so a trip to the lake in winter is a true reprieve.  We talk about the benefits of working online, even though we both miss in person meetings.  Dan tells the story of how he learned his work ethic and then how he had to unlearn it by putting boundaries, automation, and systems in place so that he can enjoy his family.  Of course, we explain several of these – time blocking, automated scheduling, scheduled emails, reusing content, and project management apps.  About –  Dan Paulson helps business owners build growing, sustainable organizations.  His superpower is to teach leaders how to get out of their own way by building strong teams and systems to achieve improved results.  Links:  LinkedIn  Free One Page Plan: heydanwhatsnext.com.  To learn more about your h

My guest AnneMarie shares her brilliance on how entrepreneurs with ADHD battle the beast of procrastination. She shares her three best strategies: break down into small manageable tasks, put on your favorite music, create a daily to do list. Checking off a to do list gives that dopamine rush, we ADHDers love. AnneMarie busts the horrible stories we tell ourselves about our procrastinationshares her Content Bible, and helps you beat the procrastination blues. About - AnneMarie Vaughan is from Nova Scotia, Canada. She is a new entrepreneur and coach to other female entrepreneurs who have ADHD and are looking to gain clarity on their ideal path. She has struggled with procrastination time and time again and has successfully been able to reframe it to a more positive experience and become more productive in the process. Links: AnneMarie Vaughan High Vibe Mindset Tribe To learn more about your host, Catherine Avery:  Productivity by Design  Facebook Page and  LinkedIn  To connect with Catherine: Schedul

We’ve had our first quarantine at Casa Avery. I explain how our habits, created when I went through cancer, have helped us weather the 10 solitary days.  I explain why I think tiny habit shifts are more effective than setting New Year’s resolutions. Did you know that most people have quit on their resolutions by Jan 12th?  I talk about my latest habit shift, reading a chapter of a business book each morning, starting with James Clear’s Atomic Habits. The irony is rich, no?  You’ll want to tune in to hear the three small habit shifts you can make today in your work space, time, and information.  To learn more about your host, Catherine Avery:   Productivity by Design   Facebook Page and   LinkedIn  To connect with Catherine: Schedule a Call   *We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites at no cost to you.  Learn more about your ad choic

Jennifer Bronsnick and I start with Human Design – what is it and why does it matter? We use me as an example of a Manifesting Generator, but don’t worry Jennifer teaches us about all five profiles.  Human Design is about how we use our energy. We need to get out of our brains and into our bodies to make those decisions. Think about the times you came up with your best ideas. I’m guessing they weren’t all while you were sitting at your desk.  We discuss how to manage flexibility in your life whether that’s in your work or your family. And we wrap up with Jennifer’s favorite productivity tool HeartMath which helps you with your alignment. And we could all use more alignment in this pandemic!  Links HeartMath  Understanding Human Design  About:  Jennifer Bronsnick is on a mission to empower women to heal from burnout, manage anxiety and become more resilient.  She is committed to challenging the belief that the only way to heal from a mental health issue is through psychotherapy and medi