Last year I made one New Year’s resolution – to dedicate myself to better health. This year, I’m still working on that goal and I’ve added another one: Invest time and money to streamline my home-based business, ultimately creating a wireless operation that’s more efficient, organized, and productive.

Whether it’s tidying queen Marie Kondo sharing her downsizing lifestyle on Netflix or Forbes publishing tips on boosting productivity, it’s hard to ignore our shared dedication to increased home and office efficiency.

With my 2019 resolution in mind, I’m using these tools and practices:

1. Pen-and-paper lists. I’ve reinstituted a practice I followed for many years and purchased an old-fashioned composition notebook. I use it to log my phone calls, jot down ideas, and manage my to-do lists. In the past I loved this method of documenting calls and meetings, and my clients and colleagues marveled at my detailed notes. I find that this tried-and-true method keeps me on task and saves background details I might otherwise forget.
   
2. A more efficient office. I’m planning to invest in new, streamlined office furniture and electronics so I can work wirelessly and organize my files electronically. Before moving furniture around or making any purchases, however, I’m taking time to sift, sort, and purge my paper files, e-documents, and email folders, reversing my lifelong packrat habits.
   
3. Schedule exercise sessions. My new healthy lifestyle requires that I spend at least an hour a day exercising, whether I’m taking a Tai Chi or yoga class, working out with my husband at the gym, or listening to Spotify on a long walk. I’m scheduling my workouts on my Google calendar to ensure health remains a top priority. Making time for this is a must.
   
4. An organized closet. I’ve shared my recent weight-loss surgery with friends, colleagues, and clients. I’m shedding clothing sizes, so I’m continually reorganizing my closet to make room for the next-smallest size. I’ve even gone down a half-size in shoes. Constantly purging my closet has made me more mindful of my purchases and has forced me to be better-organized and use my space wisely.
   
5. Efficient meal-planning. My gastric sleeve surgery dramatically reduced my stomach, so I’m changing the ways I shop for food and prepare meals. I find that I’m more aware of everything in our pantry, fridge, and freezer. Our grocery-shopping lists include lots of protein, veggies and fruit, very few carbohydrates, and virtually no processed food. This isn’t just something I’m doing for me but it benefits the whole family.
   

Hopefully, these tips will spark ideas for better efficiency and, perhaps, even better health for you. As for me, I love starting anew with blank slate. Beginning the year right with a renewed commitment to better organization and better health gives me a lot of pleasure and satisfaction every step of the way.

One great thing about a brand-new year is that it’s the perfect time to adopt new habits that improve our productivity, work, and personal lives.

A surprising productivity secret among top CEOs, according to Forbes, is that Friday holds the key to an efficient work week. “My biggest secret for a productive Monday is what I do on Friday,” said Jon Rush, founder of C7 Device Recycle.
Recently a PRSA’s Strategies & Tactics story described steps we can take on Friday afternoons that prepare us for the most productive Mondays. The work you accomplish doesn’t have to be substantial, said the story, which quotes productivity expert Laura Vanderkam.

Vanderkam says a few minutes of planning, whether for a presentation or meeting on Monday, can lead to a better outcome or performance while also putting your mind at ease when you finally do leave the office. You’ll likely end up completing more than you set out to do anyway.

“If you want to write a novel, commit to writing 100 words a day,” she says. “You’ll probably do more, since 100 words is nothing, but that low expectation gets you to your computer even on days when you don’t want to be there. If you’re able to get a head start on a task you’re dreading, you’ll not only be in a better place come Monday; you’ll have a more relaxing weekend, to boot.”

Take these five simple steps on Fridays to prepare for the upcoming work week:
1. Create a Monday morning “hit list.” Include the first things that need to be accomplished, whether it’s an email you want to send or a phone call you need to make. Knowing what you want to knock out on Monday before you even sit down at your desk will help you get more done.

2. Review any loose ends. Take stock of what was left unfinished on your to-do list from the past week. Wrap up anything you can complete in two minutes.

3. Reflect on any task that fell through the cracks this week.  Alex Cavoulacos, CEO of The Muse, recommends the 1-3-5 method: “On any given day, assume that you can only accomplish one big thing, three medium things, and five small things,” Cavoulacos told the website Quartz at Work. Re-tool your goals for the following week, taking special care to bring forward those objectives that got waylaid last week.

4. Think about next week’s meetings. Are you ready for them? Set a timer for five minutes and take the smallest preparatory steps. You may be so engaged that you keep going.

5. Unplug. Refraining from checking email on Saturday and Sunday is integral to your sanity for next week, leaving you better rested for the busy Monday ahead. If you make this Friday commitment to your sanity and well-being, you’ll be better rested, more relaxed, and more able to hit the ground running on Monday.