A New Leaf Organizers - It's Never to Late to Turn Over a New Leaf!

For the majority of students heading into the month of August, school is a distant memory and learning has taken a backseat to fun. Students deserve a break, of course, but two months (or more!) can be a long time to go without the academic stimulation that educational activities bring–even for the best of students.

Apart from planned group activities available and summer vacations geared to learning, most educators recommend that the best way to keep them academically engaged is to encourage our kids to read, read, READ!

Here’s an extensive Summer 2014 Reading List from www.bookcentre.ca that covers all age groups from toddlers to teens. Even you parents might find a few good reads on this list!

Happy summer and happy reading from the rewriter!

Deborah Plouffe is the founder and CEO of rewriter.ca, a business dedicated to helping YOU find the words YOU need to say!

Tags: a new leaf, Cathy Mendler, Deborah Plouffe, holidays, kids, reading, rewriter.ca, tips
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The One Thing Successful People Never Fail to Do

Posted on: August 14th, 2014 by Cathy Mendler No Comments

Get Productive... In his LinkedIn post “The One Thing Successful People Never Fail To Do,” Bernard Marr talks about “some things that ridiculously successful people do differently.”

What can you do differently in 2014?

Tags: a new leaf, Cathy Mendler, productivity, success, tips
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Get Motivated with OPRAH!

Posted on: August 12th, 2014 by Cathy Mendler No Comments

“I know for sure that what we dwell on is who we become.”

Oprah Winfrey

TAKE ACTION!

Yes, it’s the middle of summer. That doesn’t mean you can’t work on something that’s meaningful to you. Begin that meaningful personal project, or start something you’ve wanted to do for a long time, but haven’t yet had the resolve to do. Life is short. TODAY is the day to take action!

This motivational strategy was provided by our associate, Judith Tremblay of Paths to Change. To sign up for her weekly strategies, please click here.

Tags: a new leaf, Cathy Mendler, motivation, Time management, tips
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August, Already???

Posted on: August 6th, 2014 by Cathy Mendler No Comments

It’s August!

Summer was a long time coming this year. With all of the rain and cooler temperatures, it hasn’t been a typical summer either. So enjoy it when you get the chance.

What does your summer list of projects look like?

Let’s get started and turn over another leaf!

ORGANIZING A DECORATING/RENOVATING PROJECT

In June 2013 I wrote an article “Organizing a Decorating/Renovating Project.” Here’s a link to that blog post.

Having just completed a major home renovation, I can offer the following additional thoughts:

Begin planning as far in advance as possible. Delays can be costly if you aren’t prepared.
Make sure you include contingency funds in your budget. Be prepared for the unexpected–especially if you are opening up walls or renovating an older home. Bringing your home up to today’s building code requirements may be an additional expense. Electrical upgrades, improving insulation, etc. might be required.
There will likely be items you wish to upgrade which you hadn’t considered. Think about your plans for the long term.
Could your home benefit from an energy audit? A high home energy score could help sell your home–if that is in your plans for the future. Click here for more information on your home’s energy efficiency.
Communicate frequently with your contractor.
Keep a supply of plastic drop sheets handy–they will become your best friend.
Prepare yourself for the frustrating moments, hours and even days. Despite all of your planning, they are bound to happen.

I’m happy to report that our renovations went smoothly. We were prepared as much as possible. Although we made several upgrades and spent more money than originally planned, it was worth the investment.

Good luck to two of my business colleagues. One is in the process of renovating an entire house–I can only imagine what she’s going through! The other one will be adding a commercial kitchen to her home–a big undertaking–in the very near future.

Remember, the end result will be worth it, as the drywall dust becomes a distant memory!

LOOKING AHEAD

Fall and back to school will be here before you know it!

Check out our Getting Organized for Back to School blog post from August 2012.