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High sensitivity is a trait that affects one in five people in the general population, but today’s expert guest agrees that there seems to be a much higher prevalence of this in the organizing and productivity community as well as the coaching community. Joining us today is Melody Wilding, a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP), thought leader, coach, professor of human behavior, and the author of Trust Yourself: Stop Overthinking and Channel Your Emotions for Success at Work. She’s been listed as Business Insider’s most innovative coach and has written for publications such as Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Fast Company, the Wall Street Journal, O Magazine, and many other high-profile publications. Tuning in you’ll hear about the traits that define highly sensitive people, the percentage of people who fall into this category, and how these personality traits can create challenges for us while also being our superpower. Melody breaks down some of the common challenges we face, such as “the honor roll hangover,” and explains how we can harness our emotions to have them work for us and not against us, along with some practical exercises to try. For some fascinating insight into the minds of highly sensitive people that may help you achieve success at work, tune in today!   Key Points From This Episode:   Claire’s suspicion that there are more highly sensitive people in the organizing, productivity, and coaching communities. [00:00:42] An introduction to today’s guest, Melody Wilding, and her impressive career. [00:01:39] Why Melody agrees that high sensitivity is more prevalent in organizing and coaching professions. [00:03:14] Insight into the percentage of people who are highly sensitive. [00:04:13] The SEED model Claire uses to differentiate highly sensitive people from others. [00:06:07] The STRIVE model Melody uses to describe the personality traits common among high-achieving highly sensitive people. [00:07:56] What Melody means by the 'honor roll hangover' and the trifecta of common qualities found in sensitive strivers. [00:11:47] How we can harness emotions and have them work for us, not against us. [00:13:02] How to protect yourself from the emotional exhaustion that may come with challenging clients and the Four Feelings Test. [00:14:32] How to show up in your business in a way that you feel good about. [00:18:53] Why highly sensitive people tend to disconnect themselves from their intuition. [00:20:55] Benefit from your strong inner drive while overcoming the tendency to do too much. [00:23:23] The value of rest in today’s corporate climate, particularly for sensitive strivers. [00:26:31] Exercises to help you get back in touch with your ‘sensitive striver sixth sense’. [00:29:03] Melody’s final thoughts on sensitivity as a strength and superpower. [00:31:15]   Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:   Melody Wilding — https://melodywilding.com/  Melody Wilding on Twitter — https://twitter.com/melodywilding Trust Yourself — https://www.amazon.com/Trust-Yourself-Overthinking-Channel-Emotions/dp/1797201964 Fierce Self-Compassion — https://www.amazon.com/Fierce-Self-Compassion-Harness-Kindness-Thrive/dp/006299106X Stand Out — napopodcast.com  Stand Out on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfgICVg2b-bKSVmzoDKMrdg NAPO — http://napo.net/join

Today we talk about the critical role of organizing in caregiving. Joining us for this discussion is Amelia Pleasant Kennedy, a NAPO member and an experienced professional organizer and life coach who runs a company called A Pleasant Solution. Amelia explains how she began her journey into the world of caregiving when her mother could no longer care for herself and how being a professional organizer uniquely prepared her for this role. She shares her story with us about how she first realized her mother needed additional care, how she broached the conversation with her brother, and how together they broached the conversation with their mom. Tuning in you’ll hear how Amelia overcame the emotional challenges of this journey by compartmentalizing, the importance of caring for yourself in a process like this, and some of the unexpected joys that Amelia got out of this experience. To hear Amelia’s advice and encouragement to anyone who may find themselves in a similar situation, or may be serving a client who is going through this process, as well as tips on how to marry compassion with the practical, tune in today!   Key Points From This Episode:   The story of how Amelia became a caregiver. [00:03:18] How Amelia’s organizing expertise prepared her for caregiving. [00:04:57] Amelia explains how she navigated family conversations about her mother’s need for more care. [00:06:38] Advice to anyone who has to approach a conversation about care, and the importance of marrying compassion with practicality. [00:08:53] How Amelia has overcome the emotional challenges by compartmentalizing. [00:11:24] How Amelia’s mother’s home reflected the state of her mental disorganization. [00:12:40] Clues that an elder parent may need extra care or assisted living. [00:14:11] Some of the unexpected joys that came out of this experience for Amelia. [00:17:31] Amelia’s advice to anyone in the organizing profession who may find themselves in a similar situation. [00:20:26]. Words of encouragement for anyone who may be on a similar journey. [00:23:21] The importance of caring for yourself while you care for others. [00:24:55]     Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:   Amelia Pleasant Kennedy — https://www.linkedin.com/in/ameliapleasantkennedy/ A Pleasant Solution —  https://www.apleasantsolution.com/ NAPO — http://napo.net/join NAPO Podcast — napopodcast.com

We’re all familiar with the phrase, “Good enough is good enough,” but today’s guest is here to share some wisdom around why good enough isn’t just good enough, it’s perfect. KC Davis is a therapist, author (of How to Keep House While Drowning, which we highly recommend), and mother of two, who also recently became a TikTok sensation for her open and honest accounts of her home life during the pandemic and her approach to dealing with a messy household. Struggling with postpartum depression during nationwide lockdowns, KC came to the life-altering realization that not folding her kids’ clothes didn’t make her a bad mother and that it’s unrealistic to expect a lived-in home to look fit for the cover of a magazine. She has since come up with practical strategies to help people concurrently look after their mental health and their home environment, which she shares with us today. Sometimes we get too caught up in society’s expectations of us and we forget what’s really important; so if you’re needing some perspective, you’ve come to the right place!   Key Points From This Episode:   Introducing today’s guest, KC Davis. [00:01:51]. KC’s accidental journey to becoming internet-famous, and how it has changed her life and continues to change the lives of many others. [00:03:06]. The mindset shift required to make dealing with a messy house more manageable. [00:08:07]. How KC’s relationship with the phrase “do your best” has evolved over time. [00:10:11]. KC explains the concept of moral neutrality, and how it can be applied to so many areas of our lives. [00:15:15]. Why embracing imperfection is the key to living a full and happy life. [00:17:54]. A household task that KC struggled with when she had postpartum depression, and the ‘adaptive imperfection’ solution she came up with to manage it. [00:19:55]. The three layers of function that KC has developed as a way to help people manage their household tasks. [00:26:14]. An explanation of KC’s 9 square matrix for setting priorities. [00:28:27].    Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:   Struggle Care — https://www.strugglecare.com/ How to Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis — https://www.amazon.com/Keep-House-While-Drowning KC Davis on TikTok — https://www.tiktok.com/@domesticblisters NAPO — http://napo.net/join NAPO Podcast — napopodcast.com

“When you think about it, our day starts and it ends in our closet.” These are the words of today’s guest Naeemah Ford Goldson, who joins us as we delve into the world of closets! Naeemah is a NAPO member, the proud owner of Restore Order Professional Organizing, and the host of her own podcast Organize Me! Radio. She's also a member of the ICD and the founder of NABPO which is the National Association of Black Professional Organizers, a non-profit that seeks to empower BIPOC Professional Organizers. Naeemah joins us to help us get a current take on what's hot in the land of closets! She explains why closets are so important, why they should be customized, and how our individual sizes and shapes affect the way we should design them. We discuss how putting things away affects the design of the closet, why it’s so important for the hamper to be convenient and functional, and how to design a closet for two people with different organizing styles. To discover valuable tips for organizing professionals who are looking for closet solutions for their clients, and what is currently trending in design finishes and colors, tune in today!   Key Points From This Episode:   Naeemah Ford Goldson’s thoughts on why closets should be customized. [00:02:52]. How our sizes and shapes affect the way we design closets. [00:04:42]. Other things to consider when customizing closet space. [00:05:53]. Why you should edit your closet content before you do inventory. [00:07:40]. How putting things away affects the design of the closet. [00:09:25]. The importance of the hamper being convenient and functional. [00:10:50]. Tips on how to design a closet for two people with different organizing styles.[00:11:50]. Naeemah’s favorite thing to use in a closet: a valet rod. [00:13:06]. Tips for organizing professionals looking for closet solutions for their clients [00:14:27]. Whether or not you should factor kickbacks into your fee. [00:15:14]. How Naeemah goes about designing a closet using graphing paper. [00:19:09]. Insight into what is currently trending in design finishes and colors. [00:22:19]. One of Naeemah’s favorite closet organizing products: the shelf divider. [00:24:49].       Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:   Restore Order — https://restoreordernow.com/ Naeemah Ford Goldson on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/naeemah-ford-goldson Institute for Challenging Disorganization — https://icdorg.memberclicks.net/ National Association of Black Professional Organizers — https://nabpo.org/ Organize Me! Radio — https://restoreordernow.com/organize-me-radio Restore Order on Twitter — https://twitter.com/RestoreOrder Restore Order on Facebook — https://facebook.com/RestoreOrderNow/ Restore Order on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/restore_order_now/ Restore Order with Naeemah on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/user/RestoreOrderNow NAPO — http://napo.net/join NAPO Podcast — napopodcast.com

After years of struggling with clutter, today’s guest realized something that would change her life forever; she didn’t organize in the traditional way. Cassandra Aarssen discovered that there are, in fact, four different organizing styles. Once she knew her style, Cassandra (or Cass, as she is affectionately known) was finally able to design a system that worked for her and stay organized for good! She’s now on a mission to spread the Clutterbug Organizing Philosophy and help other families who struggle with disorganization and clutter. You may have seen her hosting Hot Mess House on HGTV, although she also offers free education and ideas through her YouTube videos, podcasts, and her amazing online Facebook support group. In today’s episode, she shares why she believes that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution for organization, and the four different organizing types that Cass calls Clutterbugs; Ladybug, Bee, Cricket, and Butterfly. We also discuss how differing organizing styles can co-exist under the same roof, and how you can encourage your children to develop their own relationships with things. Cass gives advice for listeners who are considering a less organized approach, and so much more! Tune in today to find out how Cass has been able to help millions of families transform their lives through organization and how you can do the same!   Key Points From This Episode:   Cass shares her personal struggle with clutter that drove her to start Clutterbugs [00:02:26]. Why a particular organizing system works for one person and not another [00:04:30]. Your guide to understanding different organizing styles [00:06:04]. Where you can take the Clutterbug Quiz and why you should answer honestly [00:09:38]. Why Cass believes that self-confidence is half the battle when it comes to clutter [00:10:37]. Breaking down the four Clutterbug styles: Butterfly, Bee, Ladybug, and Cricket [00:11:00]. What’s on the horizon for Cass, including product development for each style [00:14:16]. The trap that she sees professional organizers fall into with their clients [00:15:55]. How differing organizing styles can live together under the same roof [00:18:05]. How you can encourage your children to discover their relationship with things [00:26:17]. Insight into Hot Mess House and the principles that Cass brought to the show [00:27:20]. Her advice for listeners: it’s okay to take a less organized approach! [00:32:20]     Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:   Cassandra Aarssen on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/cassandra-aarssen-5bbba22b/ Cassandra Aarssen on Twitter — https://twitter.com/Clutterbug_Me Clutterbug — https://clutterbug.me/ Clutterbug on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/clutterbug_me/ Clutterbug on Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/clutterbug.me/ Clutterbug on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/user/OrganizedClutterbug NAPO — http://napo.net/join

Over the last few decades, the organizing industry has progressed in almost indescribable ways and our guest today, Dorothy Breininger, has witnessed many of these changes, having built an amazing career along the way. Dorothy joins us on the show today to talk about this wonderful journey that she has been on, what got her started, and her thoughts on the current landscape of organizing. She has some truly inspiring messages for all of our listeners around working with your circumstance, staying generous, and how curiosity and volunteering can serve you and your business in positive and unexpected ways. In our chat, Dorothy reflects on her first connection with NAPO, and how she went about building her business before we talk about the organizing community and the explosion of the industry that we have seen more recently. We also get into the appearances that Dorothy has made across many popular TV shows and how she learned to bring her authentic self to her brand. This is a truly unmissable episode, so join us to get it all!   Key Points From This Episode:   [00:01:27] Looking back at Dorothy's history in the world of organizing up to this point. [00:06:15] Memories of connecting with NAPO and what the organizing profession looked like at the start of Dorothy's career. [00:08:34] Building her own business and the resources that helped Dorothy expand. [00:13:08] The need for community and how Dorothy learned to collaborate and share with others. [00:14:49] Dorothy's reflections on the last few years, and the current moment in the industry. [00:16:49] How the different skills are opening up new avenues in the industry. [00:19:33] Current challenges in the organizing industry and Dorothy's positive spin on things! [00:22:20] Cultural perceptions of organizing and the progress that has been made in awareness. [00:23:18] Escaping the shame and the normalization of the common needs for assistance. [00:25:12] Considerations around the environment and the move to more minimal materialism. [00:27:28] Dorothy's personal practice of eliminating unnecessary possessions. [00:28:13] The spirit of performance and fun; how Dorothy has built her career on TV. [00:30:12] Closing remarks from Dorothy and her message to the organizing community!     Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:   NAPO — http://napo.net/join Dorothy Breininger — https://www.dorothytheorganizer.com/ Dorothy Breininger on Twitter — https://twitter.com/DORTHYtheORGNZR The Cancer Concierge — http://thecancerconcierge.org/ Hoarders — https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1497563/ Wall Street Journal — https://www.wsj.com/ Forbes — https://www.forbes.com/ O Magazine — https://www.oprah.com/app/o-magazine.html Today Show — https://www.today.com/ Dr. Phil Show — https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0329824/ The View — https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0123366/ The Doctors — https://www.thedoctorstv.com/ UCLA — https://www.ucla.edu/ LA County Hoarding Task Force — http://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/dmh/216946_Guidebookforonline.pdf LA Times — https://www.latimes.com/ Marie Kondo — https://konmari.com/ Spark Joy — https://www.amazon.com/Spark-Joy-Illustrated-Organizing-Changing/dp/1607749726 Cass Aarssen's Clutterbug — https://clutterbug.me/ Hot Mess House — https://www.hgtv.com/shows/hot-mess-house Elon Musk — https://www.britannica.com/biography/Elon-Musk Clare Kumar — https://clarekumar.com/  

The past two years have reshaped the way we communicate with each other, and today we’re going to be tackling the hyper-relevant topic of Zoom Doom! Our principal point of connection these days is through a screen and many of us are simply exhausted by it. The phenomenon of virtual communication isn’t going anywhere anytime soon and joining us today to dissect the causes and provide solutions for the dreaded Zoom fatigue is communication expert, Lauren Sergy. Lauren has recently published a new book, Unmute!: How to Master Virtual Meetings and Reclaim Your Sanity, and today she shares her findings with us, as well as some astute advice for navigating the world through your webcam. In this episode, we delve into how we should be showing up in a virtual space and how to manage our energy so that we can show up for others and maintain connections. We find out how we can use the medium to its full potential, acknowledge its distinctions, and ensure that it is approached with intentionality and inclusivity. Lauren comments on the emotional nimbleness required to read the virtual room, and gives us a succinct, straightforward answer to the great question of our age: cameras on or cameras off? Tune in for some great tips on how to breed consistency, prioritize your viewer, and generally ensure a painless virtual interaction!     Key Points From This Episode:   What Zoom fatigue is, what causes it, and what to do about it! [00:03:39] The importance of eye-to-eye contact in our culture, and the lack thereof on Zoom. [00:06:39] How to make intentional eye contact easier via virtual communication. [00:08:26] The difficulty for those with introverted temperaments! [00:10:23] The issue of physical orientation when one uses multiple monitors. [00:11:10] How to protect your energy to maintain connection in virtual interactions. [00:12:57] The tendency to be too static in a virtual communication environment. [00:14:33] When to look to camera and when to observe in different contexts. [00:16:20] The value of the virtual communication medium! [00:19:36] The distinct nature of the medium and how to facilitate intentionality and inclusivity. [00:19:59] How we shrink our facial expressions on camera and why we should dial it up. [00:24:37] Why virtual interactions require emotional nimbleness. [00:26:29] Cameras on or cameras off? How to optimize the experience for everyone. [00:27:02] How to accommodate neurodiversity and ensure consistent communication. [00:33:53] The importance of showing up and following in-person etiquette! [00:36:09]     Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:   Lauren Sergy Lauren Sergy on LinkedIn Lauren Sergy on Twitter Lauren Sergy on Facebook Lauren Sergy on YouTube The Handy Communication Answer Book Unmute!: How to Master Virtual Meetings and Reclaim Your Sanity NAPO — http://napo.net/join NAPO on Instagram Clare Kumar on LinkedIn  

Emotional labor as Regina Lark describes it is the unseen, unnoticed, unwaged, unwritten, and unanticipated work women do at home. Gender inequity is an age-old issue that women still bear the brunt of and Regina joins us today to break down why it is that we are dumped with the job of homemaking, regardless of how our brains are hardwired, and why we feel such a deep sense of shame if we can’t stay on top of the mess! With a doctorate in women’s history and years of experience as a professional organizer, Regina has married her expertise to write Emotional Labor: Why a Woman’s Work Is Never Done and What To Do About It. In our conversation, we learn how Regina’s male and female clients tend to have a different relationship with mess and how same-sex relationships differ from heterosexual relationships in terms of emotional labor. We discuss wages for housework campaigns and homemaking strikes over the course of history, and how the delegation model in the modern home needs to change! Tune in to find out how strategically stopping your household tasks can work to enforce equity in the home and discover a neat tip to measure labor equity and prove what your work is worth!   Key Points From This Episode:   Introducing Regina Lark and the important work she does in the world! [00:00:33] How her Ph.D. in women’s history and experience as a professional organizer prompted her to write Emotional Labor. [00:03:59] How ADHD was only diagnosed in men and the impact on ADHD women. [00:08:06] Regina’s profound definition of emotional labor and how she landed on it. [00:09:29] The different relationships Regina’s male and female clients have with mess. [00:13:22] What a professional organizer’s responsibility to the client involves. [00:14:04] Who Judith Kolberg is and how she helped Regina in the book-writing process. [00:16:14] How the household delegation model needs to change and why. [00:17:31] Clare shares how she strategically stopped doing household tasks to enforce equity in her home. [00:18:51] How to measure equity in the home and prove what your work is worth! [00:22:12] What wages for housework campaigns are and where and when they started. [00:23:53] The women’s strike from homemaking and sex in Iceland and the resultant gender equity there today. [00:24:35] How same-sex and heterosexual relationships differ in terms of emotional labor. [00:26:45] Anticipating changes with the emotional labor lifecycle. [00:28:50]   Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:   Regina Lark on LinkedIn Regina Lark on Twitter Regina Lark on Facebook Regina Lark on Youtube Emotional Labor Breaking Down Patriarchy Podcast Judith Kolberg Tend Clare Kumar NAPO

We've all heard the phrase “Just go with your gut.” But this is often easier said than done. So what exactly is intuition, and how we can make the right decision as entrepreneurs or in our personal life using this subconscious phenomenon? Intuition expert and author of two books, Fail Fast, Succeed Faster, and Gut! What it is. How to trust it. How to use it, Sunil Godse joins us today from London Ontario to break down intuition and how we can begin to tune into it both personally and professionally. Sunil is an entrepreneur who has grown several business ventures that have collectively earned over $20 million in revenues before moving on to become a management consultant helping others find success in their businesses. After realizing that the reason why most businesses fail to create a trusted brand is that they ignore their intuition, he developed a process called Intuitive Branding, which helps businesses leverage the power of intuition and, as the title of his podcast says plainly, "Crush Your Competition In Under 14 Seconds.” As can be seen, by previous clients such as Citibank, SAP, Rogers Wireless, and Western Digital, his advice simply works. Today we cover the four types of intuition (and how each of us has one that is the strongest), why intuitive functioning is like driving a car, and some science behind how our brains and bodies accumulate and communicate this “Gut feeling”. You'll hear some fascinating case studies as well as honest, personal, and tragic reflections on those recognizable moments where we aren't taking our internal signals seriously. With a wealth of information on both personal intuition and corporate intuition, this episode provides key tools and information for literally everyone to better their lives. It's time to listen to your gut and tune in!   Key Points From This Episode:   Introducing Sunil and our topic for today: intuition. [00:00:42] Why his book is called Gut! [00:03:29] Talking about how omens can be positive or negative. [00:05:33] A story of how someone found their unique signal telling them something's off. [00:06:21] Why intuitive functioning is like driving a car. [00:06:58] A case study to explain the four types of intuition. [00:07:28] Clare shares a personal experience of taking a long time to listen to her internal signals. [00:15:31] How Sunil got into this area and the science behind it. [00:16:44] Reflections on feeling the pressure of societal norms and expectations. [00:19:09] Sunil shares a tragic story of a time that he didn't follow his intuition. [00:21:04] Defining intuition according to individual belief systems. [00:22:12] Some exact timing on when our intuition kicks in. [00:23:20] How we all have one of the four types of intuition that is stronger than the other three. [00:24:50] How we can tune into intuition and embed it into our daily lives. [00:25:49] Using your intuition when working as an organizer and going into people's homes. [00:27:33] Understanding micro-expressions and some of the training Sunil does. [00:29:12] Talking about how to listen to the signals when it comes to relationships.[00:30:25] Diving into intuitive drivers that relate to our values and our sense of purpose. [00:33:42] How the power of stepping into authentic expression brings huge expansion to your life. [00:35:12] Sunil talks about decluttering your life of people who don't support your joy. [00:35:55] A call to get in contact and let Sunil know what resonated with you! [00:38:00]   Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:   Sunil Godse Sunil Godse: “Crush Your Competition In Under 14 Seconds” Podcast Series Sunil Godse on LinkedIn Sunil Godse on Twitter Intuitive Branding on Facebook Intuitive Branding on Instagram Intuitive Branding 101 on YouTube Intuitive Branding on TikTok Fail Fast. Succeed Faster Gut! Vinh Jang: International Keynote Speaker When The Body Says No: The Cost of Hidden Stress NAPO — http://napo.net/join

Here at NAPO we are all incredibly excited because it is nearly time for our upcoming conference. This will be our first in-person conference in three years and it is happening from the 27th to the 30th of April at the Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel. This will be the second NAPO conference organized by Melynda Weiland, and today she joins us on the show to tell us everything we need to know about it. Melynda is the Owner of Order to Everything, an organization business that NAPO has been an integral part of. In our conversation, Melynda talks about how this year's conference theme “Educate, Elevate, Celebrate”, will play out in the learning paths, networking opportunities, and speaking events in the schedule. We hear more about some of the guest speakers from outside of NAPO that have been invited and the value they will be providing in their talks. Melynda gets into the five learning tracks and how they are geared toward NAPO members at all experience levels. She also speaks about the benefits of in-person gatherings, weighs in on COVID safety precautions, and shares resources for those who have additional questions about the upcoming event. If you are curious about the NAPO community this is a great opportunity to listen in because Melynda is going to give us a sterling understanding of what will be on offer at the conference.   Do you have questions about NAPO 2022 in Baltimore, Maryland?  Please contact our NAPO Conference Program Chair, Ann Zanon via email at Ann@a2zorganizingsolutions.com or by phone at 203-858-0475.   Key Points From This Episode:   Where and when the conference will happen and how to find it online. [00:03:04] The theme for the conference: “Educate, Elevate, Celebrate”! [00:04:29] Celebrating an in-person gathering, member achievements, and more. [00:04:39] Educating ourselves by sharing skills and building a bigger network. [00:05:28] Elevation through a new education track, fresh content, and more. [00:07:08] The five education tracks around organization and productivity with tiers for all skill levels. [00:08:03] ‘Organization Strategies’, ‘Productivity Innovations’, ‘Mind and Behavior’, ‘Entrepreneurial Skills and Mindset’, and ‘Technology for the Future’. [00:08:34] The outside speakers who will attend and what makes them interesting. [00:10:45] Why NAPO chose Crystal Washington to be the keynote speaker. [00:11:36] COVID considerations and how the organizers are making the conference safe. [00:15:13] How people can find out more about the conference and get their questions answered. [00:18:17] Craving authentic connection and why this conference will be special. [00:21:42] Why the Baltimore location will add an extra layer of value to the conference. [00:23:40] How the conference will be especially beneficial to new NAPO members. [00:27:32]     Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:   Melynda Weiland on LinkedIn Melynda Weiland on Facebook Melynda Weiland Email Order to Everything Order to Everything on Instagram Order to Everything on Pinterest Order to Everything on Facebook Lisa Woodruff Cass the Clutterbug Crystal Washington NAPO Conference NAPO — http://napo.net/join

Joining us in conversation today is Ron Friedman, social psychologist, former academic, speaker, and author. He is here to share wisdom from his latest book, Decoding Greatness, where he draws on his research into pattern recognition, skills acquisition, and creative genius, to discuss insights about high-performing athletes, musicians, chefs, and business leaders. Tune in to hear Ron's thoughts on the purpose of collecting, his opinion on productivity programs, and how he feels about marketing his writing. Ron talks about the fallacy that commercial success reflects the quality of your work and why we believe it, as well as why the pandemic has hampered our collective creative growth. We touch on the debate around whether we should all return to the office or not, and Ron reveals some of the secrets behind his writing process. He also tells us why Don Draper’s “derivative with a twist” is the sweet spot of creativity, and shares who he considers to be his greatest influences. Find out what he hopes the book will give readers: plenty of practical tools, and an opportunity to demystify the great works that have inspired them. Join us today to hear all this and more.   Key Points From This Episode: An introduction to today’s guest, social psychologist, academic, and author, Ron Friedman. [00:00:29] Ron shares what forms part of his collector landscape: books and stories. [00:03:10] The purpose of collecting which is to look for insights beyond the surface. [00:04:11] Some of the productivity programs that are gaining traction like Mem and Notion. [00:07:15] What it is like for Ron to revisit his book during podcast interviews. [00:09:20] How Ron feels about the marketing piece of being an author: he would rather not! [00:10:38] The fallacy that commercial success is equal to quality work and why we fall for it. [00:12:24] Economic uncertainty and anxiety as factors that have limited creative growth during the pandemic. [00:13:15] What Ron thinks about the debate around whether we should return to the office. [00:15:15] Ron’s writing process and how he illustrates ideas with stories. [00:18:00] Why derivative with a twist is the ideal sweet spot. [00:18:40] One of the arguments in the book: you should have license to experience broadly. [00:20:35] Pliio, the folding tool product that Clare designed which never took off. [00:23:05] Who he considers his greatest influences as a writer and creative. [00:25:15] Deconstructing TEDtalks according to Ron. [00:29:18] His hope for the book: to give you practical tools and demystify the great works that have inspired you. [00:30:02] Where you can find out more about the book and purchase it with a free course. [00:30:54] An invitation to reach out and give us feedback so that we can improve our podcast. [00:33:14]     Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Ron Friedman Ron Friedman on Twitter Decoding Greatness The Best Place to Work Notion Mem Pliio Happy Space Podcast Facebook Group NAPO — http://napo.net/join  

December marks the start of a very important event in NAPO’s calendar: Go Month. Here to tell us more is none other than NAPO president, Amy Tokos. Along with being a certified professional organizer, she is the owner of Freshly Organized and a productivity expert whose work has been featured in major publications. Tune in to hear how Amy stumbled upon NAPO, how it became pivotal to her development, and the story of how she came to be president. We also talk about the amazing opportunities that come with being a product exhibitor at NAPO, why you should join a virtual chapter, and how volunteering can help you to find what works for you. Amy shares why she wishes she had gone to conference sooner, and what she would have done differently when she first got involved, before sharing her tips on getting the most out of conference. Go Month is one of the best ways for newcomers to get involved at NAPO. Tune in to hear what you’ll get out of it, why you should join us, and how to get involved!   Key Points From This Episode: •    An introduction to today’s guest, NAPO president Amy Tokos. [00:01:23] •    How she has been participating in NAPO and how she became president. [00:02:32] •    What listeners can do to become involved in Get Involved Month at NAPO. [00:04:01] •    What NAPO Point is and how you can find answers to your questions there. [00:07:59] •    The business-building piece of NAPO that goes beyond organizing. [00:09:43] •    What the virtual chapter is and the meetups Amy considers to be the best part. [00:11:02] •    Why being a product exhibitor at NAPO is an amazing opportunity. [00:15:03] •    How, if you are an introvert, you should find the opportunities that resonate with you. [00:16:48] •    Amy recommends that you volunteer to learn more about what works for you. [00:18:43] •    Why Amy wishes she had gone to conference sooner. [00:21:17] Her tips on getting the most out of conference, and choosing a roommate. [00:23:06] How Go Month is one of the best ways for a newcomer to get involved at NAPO. [00:26:04]     Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Amy Tokos on LinkedIn Amy Tokos on Twitter Crystal Washington Happy Space Podcast Facebook Group NAPO — http://napo.net/join