Bridges Edition of 4/5/2007

Welcome to Bridges, a monthly newsletter published by Robin Fogel, Executive and Career Coach & Consultant. My goal is that these newsletters include practical information that you can use in your work and in your life. If you found the newsletter helpful, please forward it to your colleagues, friends and family.

If you would like to take advantage of a business consultant or executive coach, please email me at robin@coachrobinfogel.com for a complimentary coaching session or visit my website - www.coachrobinfogel.com

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SPRING - TIME TO DECLUTTER?

The arrival of spring seems the perfect time to reduce the clutter in our lives, at work and at home. Spring is the season when some feel the urge to purge. So, how do you know if you are ready for some spring-cleaning? Here are a few clues.

-Do you have a strong reaction every time you approach the piles on your desk?
-Do you regularly have to spend time looking for something you can't find?
-Were you able to find all those papers you needed to file your tax returns?
-Are you hanging on to things you no longer need...just in case?

Do you really need those early drafts of letters or proposals, duplicates of anything, or research materials you haven't looked at in years?

If you answered yes to any of these questions then it may be time to get rid of some clutter. Start small. The quickest way to sabotage your efforts is to get overwhelmed. If your desk is a mess, start with one section or one drawer. Use the same principle with your file cabinets, start with one drawer or even just a few files. Break the project down and really evaluate what you are holding on to. And if the information has tax or legal consequences, check with your accountant or lawyer before tossing it.

Finally while this time of year is filled with articles about de-cluttering, spring cleaning, or finding space in those file cabinets for your tax returns, a new book takes a contrarian view. A recent Newsweek article about productivity referenced, "A Perfect Mess: The Hidden Benefits of Disorder," by Eric Abrahamson and David Freedman who write that neatness has become wildly overrated. I am looking forward to reading the author's work but am willing to bet they still use some systems and occasionally purge.

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UPCOMING EVENTS
I am delighted to be participating in a workshop being jointly sponsored by the Greater Mercer Chamber of Commerce - Women in Business Committee and by Rider University on April 18th called "Women in Transition". The program is filled with practical information, resources and strategies for women who may be ready to re-enter the workforce after raising children, or are in a career transition. The workshop is also a great way to network with other women. If you know anyone that might benefit from this event please pass on this information, including the Mercer Regional Chamber link for registration. http://www.gmccc.com/events/eventView.asp?EventID=1252

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And now, a word from our sponsor. For those who ask me what it is that I do, my business has evolved and I have been offering coaching and business consulting in the following areas:

-Career Coaching for career advancement, change or transition;
-Business Consulting & Executive Coaching - working as an independent sounding board providing advice on staffing issues, developing emerging talent and helping managers sharpen their communication and management skills;
-Not for Profit Consulting - providing Executive Directors with independent sounding board, consulting on staff issues, board relations and staff development

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FINAL THOUGHT
It takes no more time to see the good side of life than to see the bad. - Jimmy Buffett
COPYRIGHT: 2007, Robin Fogel & Assoc., LLC. All Rights Reserved. May be distributed and reprinted in its entirety with copyright, subscription instructions, and contact information intact. However, you may not copy it to a website.