From the Desk of Janet Barclay

This will be my last entry until October, because I’m actually taking my own advice and taking a long overdue vacation - my first since before I started my business. I’ll be leaving in about 24 hours for the lovely spot pictured here, and all I have left to do is get the car washed and filled with gas, and pack my stuff.

I also need to decide whether to take my laptop. There is no Internet access where I’m going, so I don’t have to worry about being sucked into checking email or work-related websites, and there are a couple of projects that don’t require online access which I could work on if I feel like it. On one hand, it seems to contradict the point of being on vacation, but on the other hand, September has been a really busy month and it looks like October will be too, so it might actually be less stressful coming home if some of those things are out of the way. I’ll let you know what I decide and how it turns out when I get back.

There was a good article in the Star Tribune this past weekend entitled A Clutter-Free Workplace. 

It’s not the first time I’ve been quoted in an article, but I always get a kick out of it. Not only is it a good ego boost and some free publicity, professional writers have a way of taking what I’ve said and making it sound so profound.

The other expert quoted in the article is Don Aslett, who has written a number of books about clutter and related topics for both home and work, which are available through his website as well as at Amazon.com and Amazon.ca. He also offers a number of free resources through his site, including a Google group for packrats, so check it out!

I am completely stepping away from my usual themes of getting organized and operating a home-based business, but I feel justified for several reasons.

1. It’s the weekend.
2. Even business owners have a personal life.
3. It has to do with serving the community, which should always be relevant.

I came across a blog posting today from someone who is considering becoming a Big Sister and asking for comments from those who have done it. Unfortunately, that particular blog doesn’t allow comments from non-members, so I’m hoping pi-hole of Vancouver might find her way here as I would like to share my experience as a Big Sister with her.

The process to become a Big Sister is very extensive and takes several months. After attending an information session, I had to complete a very detailed and very personal questionnaire and supply three references and a medical form. They will also do a criminal reference check on you and everyone in your household. I think it took nearly nine months between the time of my initial contact and the time I was finally matched with my Little Sister. I understood the reason for all of these precautions - after all, you are going to be spending time with a child - but it felt fairly intrusive and it was definitely stressful waiting to find out whether I was approved.

They ask for a minimum time commitment - it was quite a while ago now, so my memory’s a little fuzzy, but I think they asked for you to commit to spend  4-6 hours a week with your Little Sister for at least 6 months (it might have been 18 months). I knew lots of Big Sisters who didn’t see their Little Sisters every week, but I think it’s important, especially at the beginning, so you can form a relationship.

One of pi_hole’s questions was "what sort of stuff would you do with a little sister, besides going to a movie and getting food or going shopping?" Those were definitely frequent activities for us! We also participated in a number of activities that were offered by the organization, including Christmas and Halloween parties, Bingo night, crafts nights, and field trips. One of the highlights was the day we went up in a small airplane and my Little Sister got to take a turn at the controls.

Sometimes she just came over to my house and we worked on crafts or played on the computer (which was still somewhat of a novelty at that time). We also went bowling, roller skating, and swimming, and once we went to a dollhouse show (we were working on a dollhouse at the time). I even brought her with me to family gatherings and family events put on by my employer. I usually covered any expenses but they did suggest that you could cost share with the parent(s) on occasion. We often received free tickets to events such as movies, ice shows, magic shows and the circus, which were sponsored by local businesses. (This is why, when I was recently contacted by the Lions Club to purchase tickets to a laser show, to be donated to children’s charities, I was happy to do so.)

The types of things you do will of course be determined by what you and your Little Sister enjoy, and they do try to match you with someone with whom they think you will be compatible.

Pi_hole also asked if you have to have a car, and the answer to that is no, but it certainly makes life easier!

One thing they don’t really tell you when you sign up is that once they have you as a volunteer, they will be asking you to support the organization in other ways as well, such as fundraising, representing them at mall displays, and being a Match Monitor. Of course, it is voluntary, but I think it’s important that you be aware of it, and that you be prepared to state how much time you are willing to commit, and what you are and are not willing to do.

All in all, although there were times I found it difficult to make time to see my Little Sister or to think of fun activities for us, it was a fantastic experience in my life. My Little Sister was even one of the bridesmaids at my wedding. Although we drifted away as she got older, we’ve recently re-established contact, and it’s great to see the wonderful adult she has become.

Like many people, I’ve signed up for Google Alerts to notify me when my personal name or business name appears on a website or blog. Usually the notifications indicate that someone is using one of my articles, but often it refers to a job posting, as in "Busy executive seeking organized assistant …" Those are fun, but I got a really neat one this week, from the blog of Engle Support Services, a VA business in Texas. In their article, What’s New In Office Supplies? one of the products reviewed is Pendaflex Ready-Tab File Folders, which are designed in a way that you can display the tabs on the left, in the middle, or on the right, as needed. The blogger comments that these were "clearly designed by an obsessively organized assistant." I like that. But am I "obsessively organized"? I don’t think so - but I aspire to be! 

I have known about this for quite a while, and finally I have the green light to share some big news with you!

OnlineOrganizing.com has selected ME as their expert on organizing with technology! After their new blog is launched on October 6th, I’ll be writing there every Thursday about either organizing electronic information, or using technology to organize some aspect of your business or personal life.

This means I’ll be writing for four blogs, including Introvert Retreat and my recently launched OrganizedArticles.com. By the way, I am always looking for articles for OrganizedArticles.com, so if you’ve written something related to productivity, time management or organization, please send it to me! (Don’t forget to check the submission guidelines.)