Tag Archive for: back to school

Adopt a “Back to School” Mentality

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Remember when September was so exciting because it meant going back to school? I was a back-to-school nerd.

Getting new notebooks, new pens, and all those new outfits, made September the most exciting month of the year. September is less exciting as an adult who’s not going back to school. But if you adopt a back-to-school mentality, you can have a happier and more productive fall season.

I chatted about some of my tips for back-to-school productivity on PIX11 News in New York City. You can check out the full segment here!

Here are some of the tips I shared:

1) Look at your job like an intern.

Do you remember when you were an intern? When you would go wide-eyed into that office and think, “Wow, this is the coolest job ever.”

I remember going into a studio for the very first time as a TV producer and seeing all the lights. After a while, it’s not so exciting anymore. You’re just like, “Oh, here we go again, just another day.”

But the days I took interns into that studio and showed them what it looked like behind the scenes and saw their reactions was just amazing. If you’re having trouble picturing that intern attitude, I have an example for you.

Back in 2018, Cassie Semyon, an intern from NBC News, went viral for her intern performance. She was covering the Paul Manafort trial and the verdict had just come out. And she sprinted out of the courthouse to deliver the news. (Check out the episode of Inside Scoop to see the video.)

When was the last time you sprinted like that for your job? I love that video because it’s such a good reminder to think about what we love about our jobs and what we do.

Keep Cassie’s face in your mind the next time you’re like, “Oh, do I really have to do this?” to reinvigorate that back-to-school mentality. Update: Cassie is now a full-time reporter covering Washington – all that running paid off! Check out her Instagram feed here.

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2) Envision happiness and make changes.

If you follow me, you know that I love Oprah Winfrey. I was just watching something the other day, where she was doing an interview with happiness expert, Albert Brooks. He’s the author of a book called Strength to Strength, all about finding success, happiness and deep purpose in the second half of life.

One of the things that he talked about was the bucket list. He says what happens when you make a bucket list is that your satisfaction actually goes down. According to Brooks, when you put all of the places and the things you want in one place, you actually become disappointed.

I never thought of it that way. Instead, he suggests creating a reverse bucket list to envision happiness.

Step one is to make a list of all of the material things you want – aka a traditional bucket list.

Then make another list of how you want to feel in five years. (I love this! Lists on top of lists!) What friendships do you have? What virtues do you embody? What does that feel like? What is your day like? What’s your best day?

Step three is to compare the lists. This is where it gets good. Ask yourself, will the things on the first list help you get to the things on the second list? Will having that material thing actually cause the reaction that you want in the second list. If it does, you pursue it.

3) Find a mentor.

It’s a little easier said than done. Every opportunity I’ve ever gotten in my career and my life is because someone helped me.

Think it through. Who are the people in your life who could open your eyes to something bigger? Maybe you are interested in being an entrepreneur. Who is already doing that? Make a list of those people. Start to follow them. Examine what they do.

Having a mentor doesn’t have to mean someone you talk to all the time. It can be, but it can also be someone that you watch.

One of my big online business mentors is Amy Porterfield. She shares a lot about how to create online courses and webinars. She’s a great mentor. And before that, when I was first thinking about starting my own business, I went to LinkedIn Learning. I looked at courses about entrepreneurship and starting your own business and learned how to do those things for myself.

If you pick something right now that you’re really interested in doing, and find a mentor to work with or follow, it can help you actualize what it is that you’re looking to do.

So treat this September like you’re going back to school and set yourself up for a happier, healthier, and more productive year. For more tips, you can check out my segment on PIX11 News in New York City.

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BONUS FREEBIE: Want even more ways to stay organized, productive and less stressed? CLICK HERE to get access to my List-Making Starter Kit. It will boost your efficiency and get you back to doing more of the things you love.

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Back to Work Checklist

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You know it’s “back to school” time when Target is selling Halloween decorations! So as the kiddies head off to class this week — it’s time to get back to work yourself! Summer months are slow and laid back in any industry. The news happens year round so I guess we’re a bit exempt from this rule –but nevertheless things still start to ease during the summer.

Here’s a checklist for taking that “fresh start” back to school attitude with you to the office today:

1. Get Inspired: Sometimes this is a tough one especially when you’ve been doing the same job for years. But I know you can do it! Check out the competition, read some industry magazines, google some interesting stuff, talk to your colleagues and get amped up about the next best thing! If that doesn’t work – do something you love and hopefully the ideas will soon follow. Read more

Back to School Organizing Tips

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I’ve been posting about “back to school” a lot lately. I really loved school — my husband thinks I’m a total nerd. But I must confess — high school and college were my favorite. I really love learning, reading and discussing. I think that’s why I love journalism so much — you get to research and become and expert on a number of topics daily. And in a week — they don’t matter anymore and you’re on to something else. It’s great for a short attention span.

But I think being organized really helped me to succeed in college. To help out the less organized I made a checklist for back to campus and got a list from my mother-in-law for parents. And now my friend Scott Gamm, who has blogged here before giving great financial advice, has mentioned me in his slideshow on Mainstreet.com. The slideshow is all about how to be more organized when you hit the books. Check it out and let me know what you think.  I’m slide #3 if you have a short attention span.

Parents’ Checklist for Back to School

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Back to school time can be just as tough on parents as it is on kids. I created a “Back to Campus Shopping Checklist” for GetButtonedUp.com and just about now grade school students are getting supply lists sent to them. But what about a checklist for parents? For that I turned to my mother-in-law, Irene Berman. She shares my love of lists and stationary.

She has taught public school for over 30 years in New York and Chicago. This past June she retired and I’ve never seen anyone so upset to leave a job. She really loves finding creative ways to teach kids things for the first time. It’s an amazing trait – I could never do it.

Here’s her Back to School Checklist for Parents:

  1. Take advantage of back to school clothes sales in July and August.
  2. Organize closets to help kids get ready faster in the morning.
  3. Get back to a school time bed routine. You might want to practice with an alarm clock.
  4. Try to get your child’s supply list and shop during sales because Halloween items come out soon.
  5. Update your calendar with school holidays and events.
  6. Check your immunization and medical records to make sure they are up to date.
  7. Make your sure you have emergency phone numbers and contacts for the school to reach.
  8. Create an IN/OUT box for school notice and forms.
  9. Get your home ready by organizing a quiet place for your child do do his homework.
  10. Create a homework box-with all supplies needed for homework…NO EXCUSES!!!! Also, if your kids are a little younger and need a helping hand with a certain area of learning, you could visit somewhere like Little Thinkers Center to get them back into learning!