AS THE mornings get lighter and the days longer I know it is time for a good spring clean. A great place to
start is in your head, deciding what negative thoughts can be eradicated, and how you can replace them with positive thoughts. Inspiration comes to a quiet mind, so preferably take some time out of the office and gather your thoughts.
Next step is to update your brand plan for Spring, acknowledge what is going well and what
you can improve. What do you need to do more of and what is wasting your time? Create a timetable for
the rest of this year to ensure that you get the most out of it. Put work and play into it in healthy proportions.
A quarterly personal performance appraisal pays dividends. Create some physical changes too:
l De-clutter your office, starting with your desk. Often we walk past cluttered areas and do not notice them. Work with a colleague – make recommendations for their work station and allow them to do the same for you.
l If you really want a welcome change then alter the position of your desk. It is always better to face
natural light if possible, and ensure that if you are in an enclosed office, never face the door as you will be
exposed to too many interruptions.
l Change the route you take to work and change the radio station
you listen to.
l Seek out time with colleagues
you don’t know well.
Now start with your cupboards
and filing cabinets. Get rid of all
that unnecessary paper and clutter.
You will feel more organised, especially
if you update your calendar
and to-do lists at the same time.
Lastly, go home and clean out
your cupboards. It is cathartic to
clean out (take my advice – be ruthless!)
and give away to those who
need it more than you. The Butterfly Box will change the way charity shops are perceived. The first, in aid of Hospice and The Lonely Road Foundation, opens on October
10 at Threads Project in Woodstock.
They are currently calling for donations
of good quality and designer
male and female clothing, bags,
shoes and accessories (that will be
sold at bargain prices), visit
www.hpca and find out where you
can drop your donation, or how it
can be collected.
l Jenny Handley is a brand,
high performance and leadership
specialist.
For information on her
books and courses see www.jennyhandley.
co.za. Follow her on Twitter:
Jenny_Handley and Facebook:
Jenny Handley Performance Management.