Summer is here. It’s the time for school endings, graduations, celebrations, travel, camp, visits with family and friends, BBQs, hot weather, and so much more. Many of us are taking time for a deep exhale and leaning into a much-needed break. Others are using this season to plan, organize, let go, and prepare for next. Perhaps your summer will include a combination of relaxing, working, and preparing. My virtual organizing clients are focused on editing, letting go, and getting organized, one paper, t-shirt, and tote bag at a time.

Last year, we didn’t take a vacation. The pandemic kept us close to home. But this summer with life opening up, we planned some mini-vacations. It feels fantastic to get away and return to work refreshed. On a recent trip to the Catskills, the place we stayed had wall quotes throughout the property. There was one by Ralph Waldo Emerson that stood out. It made me think about time, the seasons, and the seeds we sow. Emerson said, “The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn.” 

“The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

Our lives are limited by the time we have. Where and how we spend that time dramatically influences our lives. Consider the power of the single acorn. It can manifest “a thousand forests.” Its singularity of purpose yields an incredible result.

You can be that acorn. What if this summer, you focus your energy and time on one or even two areas of your life? What would you choose? What could you accomplish if you minimize distractions? Summer is here. What will your season yield? What seeds will you sow? There is no right or wrong response. You are the decider.

We can quickly feel overwhelmed with everything that needs our attention. Give yourself the gift of reducing your focus. What would that look and feel like? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

There are numerous ways to describe our experience of time. We talk about wasting, spending, or investing time. We ponder the ways time moves slowly or quickly, depending on the situation. We think about not having enough time in the day or having too much time on our hands.  We consider the length of time projects take or procrastinate with the time we have. Yet, we know that every person has the same 24 hours each day to manage and live life.

With our time, we do all kinds of things like working, playing, sleeping, relaxing, stressing, organizing, traveling, relationship-building, meditating, gardening, walking, running, dancing, learning, loving, reflecting, worrying, creating, driving, eating, connecting, talking, writing, emailing, Zooming, and many other “ings.”

I came across a quote by Atomic Habits author, James Clear, who offers a direct perspective about time. He said, “Your life is purchased by where you spend your attention.”  How powerful is that? 

“Your life is purchased by where you spend your attention.”

— James Clear

When you look at where your time and attention go, it tells the story of your life. Where do you invest? If you did a time audit for the week and noted what you do each hour, what would you discover? For many of us, approximately one-third of our time is spent sleeping. What about the other two-thirds? There are a million discoveries to make by analyzing where your attention goes. You might be surprised.

Why does this matter? If you want more or less of something in your life, doing a time audit can help you figure out how to make a change. For example, if you feel overwhelmed by clutter, a time audit could help you understand why the clutter is stuck. Perhaps you have included worrying, but not actual decluttering into your days.

“Every person has the same 24 hours each day to manage and live life.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVPO™

One of the things I admire so much about my virtual organizing clients is their dedication to change. Each week they intentionally invest time with their organizing goals through our sessions and the independent work they do on their own. They are shifting their attention from collecting and piling to letting go and organizing.

What will your time audit reveal? Even if your balance is the way you want, an audit can still be illuminating. It gives you the confidence to keep doing what you are doing. But if things are not as you desire, do some investigating. I’m excited about the discoveries you will make. I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.