A GENIUS Way To Be More Productive with Lisa Woodruff | Clutterbug Podcast # 210
Feb 12, 2024
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Lisa Woodruff, Organize 365, explains the difference between "cars" and "trains" and how to build your train for home productivity. They discuss the benefits of routines, organizing personal space, and simplifying wardrobes. They also explore organizing different areas of the house, efficient grocery shopping, and being the conductor of your life's train.
Being a train engineer involves creating systems and structures to streamline daily tasks and achieve a better work-life balance.
Embracing the train engineer mindset involves planning, organizing, and setting up tracks or schedules for different areas of life to save time and reduce decision fatigue.
Deep dives
The Power of Being a Train Engineer vs. Driving a Car
The podcast episode discusses the concept of being a train engineer versus driving a car as a metaphor for productivity and organization in one's life. The host interviews Lisa Woodruff, the CEO of Organize 365, who explains the idea in detail. Being a train engineer means creating systems, routines, and structures to streamline daily tasks and make life more efficient. This approach involves planning, organizing, and setting up tracks or schedules for different areas of life, such as personal organization, household management, meal planning, and more. By embracing the train engineer mindset, individuals can save time, reduce decision fatigue, and achieve a better work-life balance.
Transitioning from Car to Train: Building Tracks and Train Cars
Once individuals understand the concept of being a train engineer, they can start transitioning from a car to a train by creating tracks and train cars. The tracks represent the routines and structures in different areas of life, while the train cars symbolize the various components of those areas. The first step is to focus on personal organization, ensuring that one's personal space, such as the bedroom, bathroom, and closet, are organized in a way that facilitates easy access and reduces decision-making. Next, attention should be directed towards the kitchen, which functions as a restaurant in this metaphor. Meal planning, grocery shopping, and stocking food items should align with the desired restaurant style, ensuring efficiency, reduced waste, and saved money. Additionally, an emergency caboose can be created to handle unforeseen events or medical emergencies, containing essential supplies for any situation.
Running Your Home Like a CEO
Running a home like a CEO involves taking on the roles of both the CEO and the COO. The CEO aspect refers to being the visionary, planner, and strategist who sets strategic objectives for the household. This includes creating schedules, planning for the week, and establishing the overall direction of the home. On the other hand, the COO aspect involves the operational side of running the home, such as implementing and executing the plans, managing daily tasks, and ensuring efficient operations. By combining both roles, individuals can create an organized and productive home environment, where time is used effectively, tasks are streamlined, and resources are optimized.
The Power of Planning and Micro Improvements
A key element in embracing the train engineer mindset is the power of planning, which lays the foundation for an organized and efficient life. Planning involves thinking ahead, creating detailed schedules, and making informed decisions about how to use time and resources effectively. Through planning, individuals can optimize their daily routines, reduce decision fatigue, and prioritize tasks based on importance and urgency. It is important to remember that implementing these changes takes time and dedication, with incremental improvements being the key to long-term success. By making small, sustainable changes and building on them over time, individuals can experience significant improvements in their organization, productivity, and overall quality of life.