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Welcome to a brand new year! As you’ll soon find out, 2024 is off to a great start, and I’m super excited for what’s to come. This month was another whirlwind of travel and connections, and the takeaway was crystal clear – the more personal development you do, the more you help your yourself AND in turn, your clients. If you haven’t read the first few reports, October’s report is here, November is here, and the one from December is here... Enjoy!

🌱 How I Felt Going into January 2024

January tends to be one of my favorite months each year, and this one was no different. There is such an energy of renewal in the air, and because it’ officially GO (“Get Organized”) month, there is usually a lot happening in the productivity industry overall. I felt so excited to move into 2024, and I still am…it’s going to be an amazing year!

The first half of January was dedicated to annual and quarterly planning for both myself and my clients. We hosted our Q1 session for a full Zoom house of entrepreneurs on January 5th, and received rave reviews, which was nice. It’s so empowering to feel like you’re going into the quarter with a solid plan and confidence in what’s going to move the needle for you. For me, it was more personal development yet again…. it doesn’t stop – ever, but that’s OK because I LOVE learning and working on myself.

Being a remote worker, I often connect with people online before I ever meet them in person. I guess that’s my way of making friends, and it works for me. That being said, I do make an effort to see people in person whenever I can because….well, why not? During this trip, that opportunity presented itself more than once. I took full advantage of it, and I really enjoyed doing so. You start to realize that when you have the same core values in place, it doesn’t really matter where people are from – you just automatically get along. Such joy!

The second part of January was spent with my family in Sweden, but I stopped over in London on my way back to Chicago to attend a mini-retreat on breath work and meditation. It was hosted by Maude Hirst (founder of EnergyRise) and Jamie Clements (founder of The Breath Space), who were both tremendously helpful in getting me to dig deep. Expressing myself better is my focus for this year, and that includes being able to completely let go and be present in whatever moment I’m in – without self-judgement or fear of judgement from others. This retreat gave me a head start on that goal, so it well worth the investment. Hopefully, I’ll be able to attend more retreats like that soon.

🌻 Deep Personal Development Enables You To Become a Better Coach

Perhaps you’ve heard the quote “Business problems are nothing more than personal problems in disguise...”? If not, write it down because it’s a good line to remember. Its sums up January beautifully. The more you work on yourself, the more you elevate your coaching and leadership skills, which directly impacts the quality and depth of your services. In other words, the more personal development you do, the more success you are able to receive. Perhaps it’s not pertinent for all business owners (like investors, or those who aren’t directly involved in day-to-day operations), but it’s certainly true for those of us who are coaches and work one-on-one with our clients. Anyone with a personal brand will get it.

Personal development is always worth investing in, whether it’s learning new skills, up-leveling your mindset, or releasing old fears that don’t serve you anymore. During the past few years, I have worked relentlessly on myself, trying to become the person I know I am meant to be. It’s been challenging at times, but also incredibly rewarding and fulfilling. Looking back, I can say that it’s been 100% worth it so far. I can also say without hesitation that I’m far better at my job than I was a few years ago. I have a deeper understanding for what clients go through, and how I can help. I’m not saying that I’m “there” in all aspects, but I have come a long way towards that goal.

How do we best help others? By helping ourselves. People don’t change unless they want to, so there’s no point in nagging them. The way to create change is to inspire it, and that means living and presenting yourself in an aligned way that’s motivating for others to see. If you set the example, others will follow. Yes, it takes courage to look at yourself honestly, but it’s necessary in order to get past those blocks you come up against on the way to the next level. When you up-level, your business up-level as a direct result. This is not a revolutionary lesson (as these takeaways rarely are), but it’s a nice gentle reminder that you are your own worst critic. The more we remove that inner voice, the better things go.

🏆 How Productive I was in January 2024

Just like December, January was a wonderful month in my business. How do I know? Well, because my work didn’t feel like work, and I managed to get everything done just fine without stress or worry. I was on the road for most of the month, and as you’ll see in a moment, the stats have never looked better.

📁 Projects Completed 

January was a quietly productive month; I completed 5 projects, 1 personal and 4 four business ones. Yet, if you consider the fact that the personal project was all about personal development, you could actually consider all of them business projects.

My goal for 2023 was to complete three projects per month, and I consistently met that goal. It’s not hard when you lock in your project management skills. That being said, I want to keep my schedule spacious enough to only work 25-30 hours per week, so I’m gonna stick to the same goal for 2024. It’s a nice round target number.

🚀 My Favorite Project in January 2024

My favorite project this month was collaborating with my wonderful colleagues Cathi Nelson, Darla DeMorrow, and Jill Yesko Diana on a YouTube Live called Clutter-Free January: Your Path to Productivity for The Photo Managers. It was a smaller project, yes, but a project nonetheless. Since my goal for this new year is to be more expressive and collaborate more with colleagues and friends, this was the perfect way to kick it off.

Click below to watch/listen in for combined top tips on getting organized and putting productivity in motion this year.

Productivity is such a misunderstood topic by so many. It’s not about doing a ton of different things, all the time, as fast as possible. It’s about leveraging the time you have available so that you reach the results you want and need – in the simplest and most straightforward way possible. That doesn’t have to feel heavy. It shouldn’t. If it does for you, PLEASE reach out, so we can discuss how to make that change for you this upcoming year.

⏳ Hours Worked in January 2024

In January, I worked a total of 83 hours and 11 minutes, which comes out to about 21 hours per week (rounded up, and spread out over 4 weeks). That was right on target, so I very was happy with that result. I had plenty of time for what needed to happen, and no stress whatsoever was involved. Just pure joy every day. It obviously helped that I was on the road again, but still…a very successful month.

The 80-20% rule came home to roost in January – just like I wanted it to.

This month was a perfect representation of what productivity should look like in a business; exactly 20% of my time was spent on projects, and 80% of my time on my areas of operations to keep things running smoothly. I couldn’t have planned it any better, so I get pause here and pat myself on the back. Well done, Caroline! This is what it looks like when you your systems are optimized to run seamlessly.

Most business rookies have it switched around completely; they spend 80% of their time chasing new shiny objects (i.e. projects) and only 20% of their time running their core business offers. That doesn’t work in the long run. The business suffers and eventually folds because they aren’t able to bring in enough money that way. There could be any number of reasons why this happens, but often, it’s because they have the wrong offers in place and are trying to somehow subconsciously pivot. If the offers are in fact right, it’s usually distractions and reactive work that are the culprits. Whatever the reason, it needs to be fixed – asap.

If you haven’t yet read my article on how to consider the 80-20 rule for efficiency in your systems and operations, I recommend you take a look at it. And or more help on setting up your systems, join us in Creative Systems Architect – we’d love to help you optimize!

⌨️ Digital Images Organized in January 2024 

In January, I took 986 photos and deleted 558, which netted me 428 new photos in total. The majority of them was (once again) from a photo shoot. I do at least one or two of those per month for my business, so that’s a big part of why I always have a lot of photos.

It’s also worth noting that 20% of my keepers are usually different edits of the same photo. Those aren’t true duplicates, but instead called “similar” photos. Clients often get confused about the difference, but it’s actually pretty simple once you think it through. A similar photos is a photo that’s similar to another one, but that’s not exactly the same. That means you could have an original photo and a sepia version of that same photo, and they would technically not be duplicates. A deduplication program would treat them as different. It’s a good reminder that not all duplicates are bad. Sometimes you need different edits. I always keep my originals in case I want to revert to them, or try something new at a later time.

Most of my time this month was spent culling and editing over organizing, and that’s fairly common for a photographer. No point in organizing photos I don’t plan on keeping. 😉

👟 Steps Walked in January 2024 

In January, I walked 156,065 steps, which breaks down to just over 5000 steps per day (5034 to be exact). It’s a little too close for comfort, but at least I made my goal. 🎉 That’s actually BIG because that’s been a problem in the past few months. No doubt these results came about because I was traveling in Europe.

If you’ll remember, I wrote in November about how your environment drastically changes your chances of success, and these numbers prove it. Europe is easy. Public transportation and walking is how I get around Copenhagen, London, and all the other cities I visit. That does it for me. When in the US or India, we use our cars far more, and my step count suffers as a result.

My my step goal for 2023 was to hit 5000 steps (on average) per day, and since I didn’t quite make that goal happen consistently, I have decided to keep the same goal for 2024. There is more work to be done here, even though it’s looking up. Until I have ironed out some of the wrinkles in my strategy there and optimized the process, there’s no point in moving the goal post. I’m hoping that – with the implementation of my new home gym area – it’ll improve significantly in the coming months.

🍋 Home-Cooked Meals in January 2024

I met my goal of 75% home-cooked meals this month; the official number was 82%. Once again, I think I owe this somewhat easy stat to my European trip. The takeout scene in the United States is very different from the one over there. It’s not that we don’t enjoy eating out; it’s just a lot more expensive, and for that reason, it’s a bit more rare by default.

In Sweden, we only ate out once or twice. In London, I didn’t have access to a kitchen, so I had no choice but to eat out. Fortunately, I was only there for a day and a half. I took a friend to Dishoom, which is easily my favorite restaurant in the UK, and I also tried Malaysian street food at Roti King, among other things. The south Indian influences were very strong, so I enjoyed it a lot and would recommend it to anyone.

🎧 Books & Learning in January 2024

Given the topic of this report, it’s not really a secret that I love to learn; personal development really is what fuels me every day, and I really think it’s the secret to success. Continuous growth is worth more than gold, and prevents you from getting stuck. Reading is such a big part of this, so my goal for last year was to finish one book per month (whether in print or by audio), and write out what I learn from it. I will continue this goal for 2024. At this time, I want to go deep, not wide, so it’s really not about the number of books I read, but the new skills and coping mechanisms I develop through finishing them.

This month, I re-read The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. This was my third or fourth pass through this book because I’ve owned it for a number of years, and I find that it’s a good book to revisit every now and then. The gist of it is simple: unlocking creativity by understanding what fuels it and what drains it, and how to move through stagnant periods. I think it’s an important read for anyone who has ever experienced creative blocks.

Stagnation is a creative person’s worst fear, and lately I have coached several people who are in this stage of frustration. I’ve been there myself, so I know how it feels. That frustration needs somewhere to go, and it’s magic when you release it through artistic projects. You have to go back to the basics to find yourself and what you love again, and get inspired. It doesn’t matter where you start, a long as it’s somewhere. Movement doesn’t always equal momentum, but it is a main ingredient, so if you focus on that, things tend to shake loose. By reminding myself of all the principles in this book, I’m finding that I’m able to more easily remember what it was like to be in that phase, which lets me empower and encourage my clients even more.

☕️ Meaningful Conversations in January 2024

The new year brought new connections, and I loved every minute of it!

This month, I chatted with Julie Dozier, a fellow organizer and the owner of Photo Organizing Solutions. She took the self-study version of my DPO PRO course a long time ago, so we had never really gotten to chat one-on-one before; this is why I love these types of casual catch-ups! It’s such a wonderful opportunity to connect without having a specific agenda or work to complete.

This month, I also chatted with Susan Zdroik, another one of my DPO PRO students. She’s a VIP in the course and coaching bundle, but has had conflicts with out coaching call schedule, so we haven’t been able to see each other much. Replay queens need their time too, so it was nice to spend a few minutes on Zoom with her.

Finally, I caught up with Regina DeCarlo, who opted out of the photo (which is totally ok!). She’s working on her own digital asset management system and wanted to share some thoughts with me. We had a lovely chat and now I can put a face to the name. Fun!

⭐️ Success Celebrated in January 2024 

As you’ve already heard more than enough about, January was a breakthrough month for me in terms of personal development. This month let me check off several goals that I’ve worked on for a long time, so I have to celebrate that overall.

Personal development comes in so many forms, but one of the more effective practices I have implemented in the last few years is EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), also known as Tapping. It’s called that way because you use your fingertips to gently “tap” on acupressure points (high concentrations of nerve endings on your body) while you are stating your truths out loud in order to work through them. It’s an absolutely brilliant way to re-programming yourself, and I couldn’t have learn how to do it without the amazing Sherry Lukey.

Sherry and I are not only close friends, but also frequent collaborators, so I have to sing her praises and publicly thank her for helping me get to this point. Sure, there are more levels to work towards, but I am a different person than I was a few years ago. Working with her has been absolutely transformative, and I would highly recommend it to anyone, no matter your struggles.

Because EFT has been so impactful for me, I am eager for my students to also experience it. That’s why, Sherry will be joining us in our Quarterly Planning workshops as well as in Mindful Monday Mapping for the ENTIRE year. Umm, can you say value bomb? Together, we will be tackling money mindset issues, ADHD, fear of failure, fear of success, imposter syndrome, stress, delegation, and SO MUCH MORE. If you haven’t yet joined us in either of these programs, take advantage of this opportunity. No matter who you are, you will see results. There’s no question about it.

😍 This Month’s Favorite Hubs, Tools, Services, & Products

Your physical and digital worlds benefit from clear systems and operations, and with that comes the importance of having the right hubs and tools implemented. If you want to run your life smoothly, you have to intentionally design your universe and make changes before they’re overdue.

I love transparency, so I want to share with you what I use to be more productive each month. I am an affiliate for a lot of these companies, but I would recommend them regardless of that status – they’re just THAT good.

Here’s my list of things I loved in January 2024:

• Notion → No secret here. I run my entire life and business in Notion, and this month, I got even happier with the addition of Notion calendar. I will be hosting a Notion for Beginners event on March 2nd, so make sure to sign up to my email list to get notified when registration opens.
• Airtable → So easy to use. So flexible. So fun. Airtable is a great hub to use, and not as intimidating to get started on as Notion. We use it for student-facing databases, external editorial calendars, and intake forms. Highly recommended!
• Forever → This is nice hub for creating photo archives. I’ve been a member since 2014, and it has only gotten better since then. We have a workshop coming up on it this year, so stay tuned for more info on that.
• ShowIt → My website runs on ShowIt and WordPress, and it’s the main platform that I recommend for any creative soul who is looking for a new website builder. Super fun!
• Lightroom Classic → There are some great programs out there for organizing photos, but Lightroom Classic is just that – a classic. I missed it this month, but I can still promote it.
• Teachable → I’ve been a loyal customer with Teachable since back in the early Fedora days, which says a lot about how much I like their platform. It’s a great place to host your courses and workshops.
• Circle → We run our student community on Circle, and it easy to use for everyone.
• Toggl → Toggl is a great way to track your time for yourself or your team. It’s just as easy to use on your desktop as it is on your mobile device, and best of all, the free account can do a lot!
• Audible → Audiobooks are great for habit-stacking, meaning using as a tool to get you learning with less effort. I love my Audible subscription for when I’m out walking and getting my steps in, for example. Sign up for a free 30-day trial through my link to get a free book (or 2 free credits if you’re an Amazon prime member!) – cancel anytime!
• Secret → Secret is a great place for start ups and entrepreneurs to find deals on software hubs and tools. Who doesn’t love to save some $$$? Invest a little, save a lot!
• Grove Collaborative → My Grove subscription saves me so much time. It makes it so easy to restock all the household needs in a timely fashion. Get a free gift set by signing up through my affiliate link!
• Almond Cow → Making fresh almond and cashew milk takes less than 3 minutes. Nuff said.
• Nuuly → My rotating closet subscription service helps me look cute at all events without having to buy a bunch of stuff I’ll never use again. Use my link to save $20 on your first order.

🫖 Tea of the Month

This month, I’ve been enjoying Harney & Sons Winter White Earl Grey tea – another classic. It’s so much lighter and softer than traditional Earl Greys, so I have to make it my tea of the month. If you’re not a tea drinker yet, but would like to explore the option, this one is a perfect way to start.

Positively Tea Island Breeze Rooibos

Yield: 1 Cup

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Additional Time: 2 minutes

Total Time: 7 minutes

This is a naturally decaffinated organic tea that you can enjoy or blend with other teas. I often enjoy it together with Harney & Sons Jasmine Dragon Peals for a perfectly balanced cup. You can also enjoy it iced.

The ingredients are: organic green rooibos, organic mango pieces, organic papaya pieces, organic orange peel, organic rose petals, natural mango, passionfruit and papaya flavors.

Print

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Hot Water (212º)
• 1 Tsp Island Green Rooibos Tea

Instructions

1. Heat Water to 212º in a kettle
2. Pour over and steep for 5-7 minutes
3. Enjoy!

Notes

Purchase it here!

📐 Measure What Matters

Thank you so much for reading this report! I hope you enjoyed it. Please remember that productivity is very personal, and you DO NOT have to track the same metrics that I do. Your goals and metrics could be quite different from mine, and that’s OK.

If you’d like to understand where you should be focusing your attention, join us in an upcoming Quarterly Planning Workshop to identify your own goals.

🎬 Prefer to Watch This Report?

• About the Author
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Caroline Guntur Organizing & Productivity Coach

Hi there! I’m Caroline, and I’m here to help you get organized and be more productive, so that you can live better and have time for what matters.

www.theswedishorganizer.com

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