K I S S E S:
Transition Teasers
Transitions, like moving countries, can feel like starring in your own reality TV show—real challenges, unavoidable drama, and just trying to survive. During these challenging times I find a hefty dose of KISSES (Keep It Simple, Structured, & Especially Sassy) are oh-so-necessary. Read on for three tips to help you organize those never-ending tasks during times of change.
While there’s a world full of gadgets, if you’re someone, like me, who appreciates visual and tactile experiences, consider the simplicity of colored Post-it notes for organizing your ‘to-do’ lists. These little sticky squares can help you maintain control and clarity, reducing stress and playfully boosting productivity. Here’s how:
Simplicity
Choose Your Core Categories: Ensure each category is broad enough to fit various tasks effectively. List the key types of tasks under each heading to help clarify what goes where.
Color-Code Themes: As you identify specific tasks, jot them onto sticky notes, sorted by color. Place them alongside the corresponding category. (I prefer to brainstorm all my upcoming tasks over several weeks and add additional ones as more come up.)
Visualize Your Progress: A Post-it pinboard provides a quick, visual snapshot to help you track your journey and stay on top of goals effortlessly.
Color-code categories, listing the types of tasks that could be included, for clarity
Structure
Every Sunday, I make time to plan the week, using my Post-it pinboard for guidance. First, I select the things I WANT to do (think self-care and personal joys), next are the HAVE to do’s (important tasks or those that have deadlines), and then finally the NEED to do’s (essential but not urgent). You should absolutely include a ‘Me-Time’ category!
Schedule a Weekly Planning Time: Carve out 30 minutes, or so, to organize your week ahead.
Self-love Tip: Begin with activities that you want to do: When you prioritize activities that bring you joy and fulfillment, tackling the rest of the list becomes easier. It really does.
Transfer Post-its (Tasks) into Planner: Once you've listed tasks for the week, move them from the pinboard to your planner. For one-time tasks, I stick the Post-it in the planner; for recurring ones like workouts, I jot them down and leave the Post-it on the board. It’s up to you.
Delegate tasks into your week, starting with what you want to do each day.
Sass
When I'm knee-deep in ‘controlled chaos’, I get cute with myself. I’ll fling on my feather boa as I’m sorting, crank up a favorite tune and boogie away, or eat dessert for breakfast, just to change things up. Feeling a little rebellious is sassy! Try these:
Schedule Mini Breaks for Fun: To break up the monotony, plan something unexpected. These moments of joy can rejuvenate your energy and boost productivity.
Embrace "Transition Tantrums": Permit yourself to have a mini meltdown—stomp, scream, or cry it out. It's a playful, and sometimes necessary way to release stress and tackle ‘all the feels’, head-on.Celebrate Your ‘Ta-Da’ List:
Start a gratitude jar of wins, create a digital collage, or treat yourself to an extra ‘want’. Transitions are hard, and you just nailed one of those!
Through my adventures of transitioning through seven countries, some final words of wisdom. Give yourself HUGS regularly: In other words, Handle Upheaval Gracefully.
Control what you can. Let go of what burns energy.
Be ready to pivot. Expect the unexpected and make those surprises work in your favor.
Keep a light heart. Give yourself space just to BE, and the grace to go with the flow of change.
Learn more about keeping life simple, structured, and as sassy as possible. Grab your free chapter of ‘Don’t Mess With My Mojo’, available now.