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Marie Kondo Sparks Joy in Person

January 25, 2016/0 Comments/in Happiness, Home, Reduce Stress/by Paula Rizzo

Paula with Marie

Who knew watching someone fold clothes could be so mesmerizing?

I sat with a packed audience at the 92nd Street Y in New York City on a Friday night as Marie Kondo folded oddly-shaped clothing carefully and slowly.

She’s the author of “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing.” Her newest book and the reason for this gathering is called, “Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up.”

Watching her fold never got old. (I didn’t mean to rhyme there but I was just feeling that sentence and it’s true.) The whole room was in a collective trance — Marie had our full attention.

She folded up one side of a shirt and then the other and created a small origami-esque package again and again.

Everyone was fixated on the tiny woman, who was wearing a white top and skirt with black tights, work her magic.

It was like watching Michelangelo paint the Sistine Chapel ceiling.

A real craftsman at work. Read more

Feed Your Organizational Soul With These Photos

December 9, 2015/1 Comment/in Home, Increase Productivity, Reduce Stress, Tea/by Paula Rizzo

Occasionally I get inquiries by other productivity or time management sites, asking my opinion on lists and such. However, last week was the first time a design website has reached out to me! I’m used to coming up with my top 3 to-do list tips. But this was a fun project to come up with some of the visual stuff that inspires me. I make a vision board every year with photos of goals and things I love — it’s like a visual to-do list.

The Productivity Hangup You Probably Have Too

October 12, 2015/1 Comment/in Children, Decision Making, Happiness, Home, Increase Productivity, Learning With a List, List Making, People, Reduce Stress, Saving Time, Tea/by Paula Rizzo

A few weeks ago I was invited to a dinner party to celebrate my book Listful Thinking. My friend and colleague Joya Dass runs a women’s networking group called LadyDrinks and hosted the event.

So I was thrilled when she asked me to recreate the magic with an afternoon tea theme in Princeton, NJ. (You know how much I love tea if you read this blog regularly! So I was all in on this.)

Most of the women at the tea were professional moms who juggle careers in industries ranging from technology to medicine. They all had one question – “How can you balance everything?”

It’s not easy, I struggle with this too and it’s only me and my husband at this point!

One of the pitfalls and mindset issues I noticed coming up time and time again as we went around the room chatting was the idea of setting boundaries. I think mothers who work outside of the home tend to feel guilty about not spending enough time with their families. And then they feel guilty about not working enough when they are with their families. That’s a recipe for overwhelm and disaster.

Taking time for yourself is super important for your productivity and for your sanity. Here’s the fix: boundaries. Read more

9 Instant Ways to Boost Your Mood Now

August 24, 2015/0 Comments/in Happiness, Home, People, Reduce Stress, Tea, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

I’m generally a positive person, but I have my off days like everybody else.

When we’re feeling down or a little sluggish we tend to go a bit slower, and we’re more likely to put off important tasks. There’s nothing wrong with being sad from time to time – as we learned from the movie Inside Out (how cute are those characters?) But sometimes you need a quick pick me up to get your day going again.

Here are some ways I make my day better instantly:

1. Dance it out – Solo-dance parties can be the best, it’s all about you and the music. No one can judge your dance moves, no matter how crazy. So put on your favorite track and get moving.

2. Keep a gratitude journal – Remind yourself of what you’re thankful for! It’s easy to get caught up in things and forget at times, but many studies have found that those who are grateful for what they have feel a higher sense of happiness than those who do not. I make a habit of writing in my gratitude journal every night. Read more

The One Thing That Will Make You More Productive All Day

June 7, 2015/2 Comments/in Home, Increase Productivity, Reduce Stress, Tool for Success/by Paula Rizzo

Breakfast (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I like to take my time in the mornings. I like to wake up early and slowly get ready. Having a relaxed start makes my whole day feel more serene. An important part of my morning ritual is breakfast. I always leave it until last, in case I’m running late and then I can just eat breakfast at work.

Now normally I read the news on my iPad while I eat. However, I often find myself getting sidetracked and taking longer than I planned. You know, checking Facebook, emailing an interesting story I’d just read to a friend, checking Twitter, paying a bill that I just remembered about, etc. So instead I decided to try something a little different.

I just ate. Nothing else. Read more