1 00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:09,240 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning. 2 00:00:10,039 --> 00:00:15,040 Speaker 1: This is Laura, Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's 3 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:17,599 Speaker 1: episode is going to be a longer one part of 4 00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:20,880 Speaker 1: the series where I interview fascinating people about how they 5 00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:23,880 Speaker 1: take their days from great to awesome and any advice 6 00:00:23,960 --> 00:00:26,560 Speaker 1: they have for the rest of us. So today I 7 00:00:26,560 --> 00:00:29,960 Speaker 1: am delighted to welcome Shira Gill to Before Breakfast. Shira 8 00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:33,080 Speaker 1: is an organizing expert and the author of several lovely 9 00:00:33,159 --> 00:00:37,600 Speaker 1: and calming books, including Lifestyled and Organized Living. Shira, welcome 10 00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:38,120 Speaker 1: to the show. 11 00:00:38,320 --> 00:00:39,200 Speaker 2: Thank you so much. 12 00:00:39,760 --> 00:00:41,360 Speaker 1: Yeah, why don't you tell our listeners a little bit 13 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:42,080 Speaker 1: about yourself? 14 00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:42,680 Speaker 2: Sure? 15 00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:46,720 Speaker 3: So, I spent the majority of my career as a 16 00:00:46,760 --> 00:00:51,080 Speaker 3: professional organizer in people's homes, so helping people edit and 17 00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:54,560 Speaker 3: organize and style every room of their home, and then 18 00:00:55,120 --> 00:00:59,080 Speaker 3: kind of transitioned into book writing during COVID, which was 19 00:00:59,080 --> 00:01:02,400 Speaker 3: a natural trendransition to get out of people's homes, and 20 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:06,160 Speaker 3: that's when I wrote my first book, Minimalista, and then 21 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:09,640 Speaker 3: from there, as you mentioned, I wrote two other books 22 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:12,839 Speaker 3: and now my work is really designed to help people 23 00:01:13,440 --> 00:01:18,600 Speaker 3: create clarity, clear clutter, and take decisive action. In all 24 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:22,640 Speaker 3: areas of life, so from home to their mind, to 25 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:25,760 Speaker 3: their schedule to their business. 26 00:01:25,800 --> 00:01:28,520 Speaker 1: And were you always like an organized person. I'm curious 27 00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:31,080 Speaker 1: how you began a career in professional organizing. 28 00:01:31,560 --> 00:01:31,880 Speaker 2: Yeah. 29 00:01:31,959 --> 00:01:35,319 Speaker 3: I would say I was always very affected by my environment. 30 00:01:35,520 --> 00:01:37,760 Speaker 3: I don't know that I would have used the word 31 00:01:37,800 --> 00:01:43,600 Speaker 3: to organize, but it was more obsessive and I always 32 00:01:43,640 --> 00:01:46,840 Speaker 3: felt very calmed by having a calming environment. So I 33 00:01:46,880 --> 00:01:49,280 Speaker 3: think as a young kid, it was something I always 34 00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:52,240 Speaker 3: paid a lot of attention to when I felt anxious. 35 00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:54,520 Speaker 2: You know, my parents divorced. 36 00:01:54,120 --> 00:01:56,480 Speaker 3: When I was quite young, and I was an only 37 00:01:56,600 --> 00:01:58,720 Speaker 3: child who went back and forth from house to house 38 00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:02,840 Speaker 3: every other day. So I think I found organization and 39 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:06,240 Speaker 3: editing and styling as a way of kind of self 40 00:02:06,280 --> 00:02:10,840 Speaker 3: soothing and just calming myself when things fell out of control. 41 00:02:11,480 --> 00:02:15,000 Speaker 1: Yeah. Absolutely, well, so it's interesting one of the things 42 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:17,280 Speaker 1: you talk about is minimalism. I mean, your first book 43 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:21,000 Speaker 1: was called Minimalista, But you know, you have multiple kids, 44 00:02:21,360 --> 00:02:24,200 Speaker 1: you have a business that involves multiple projects at a 45 00:02:24,480 --> 00:02:29,120 Speaker 1: given point. I'm curious what minimalism really means in a 46 00:02:29,200 --> 00:02:32,480 Speaker 1: context for people who do have a lot going on. 47 00:02:33,080 --> 00:02:36,080 Speaker 3: Yeah. So for me, the way I define minimalism is 48 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:40,840 Speaker 3: clarifying what's most important and stripping away everything else, the 49 00:02:40,880 --> 00:02:43,839 Speaker 3: clutter and distraction that's in the way of that thing 50 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:47,440 Speaker 3: that you've defined as most important. And that thing or 51 00:02:47,520 --> 00:02:50,880 Speaker 3: things can obviously change during different seasons of your life. 52 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:54,560 Speaker 3: For me, you know, I've had periods where I'm raising 53 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:57,160 Speaker 3: a baby and a toddler and that kind of takes 54 00:02:57,280 --> 00:03:00,240 Speaker 3: first priority. And then as my kids now are tea 55 00:03:01,360 --> 00:03:04,160 Speaker 3: I've kind of pivoted my focus to more of a 56 00:03:04,240 --> 00:03:05,680 Speaker 3: career mindset. 57 00:03:06,480 --> 00:03:08,239 Speaker 2: But I think the thing is whether you're. 58 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:12,200 Speaker 3: Thinking about, you know, curating your home or editing your 59 00:03:12,240 --> 00:03:15,680 Speaker 3: schedule or thinking about your career, it all starts with 60 00:03:15,720 --> 00:03:18,840 Speaker 3: the clarity of what do I want most in this moment, 61 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:21,400 Speaker 3: And then I think the step that most of us 62 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:24,720 Speaker 3: fail to take is the what can I let go 63 00:03:24,880 --> 00:03:28,280 Speaker 3: of that's in the way or preventing me from getting 64 00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:29,120 Speaker 3: that thing that I want. 65 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:33,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, so let's say that somebody is saying, you know, 66 00:03:33,120 --> 00:03:35,760 Speaker 1: like my house is a mess, right, everything is just amus? 67 00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:38,400 Speaker 1: What is usually led to that, like, what are people 68 00:03:38,440 --> 00:03:41,840 Speaker 1: doing wrong that makes things feel so out of control? 69 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:45,880 Speaker 3: Well, so I think most of it is not their fault, 70 00:03:46,040 --> 00:03:48,560 Speaker 3: I should say, because I think a lot of it 71 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:51,640 Speaker 3: just comes from the consumer forward culture that we're all 72 00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:54,200 Speaker 3: living in in the Western world that tells us we 73 00:03:54,240 --> 00:03:56,760 Speaker 3: need more and more and more all the time, bigger, better, 74 00:03:57,840 --> 00:04:01,360 Speaker 3: and there's this kind of constant sense of needing to acquire. 75 00:04:01,880 --> 00:04:04,240 Speaker 3: So I think the biggest issue that I run into 76 00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:07,880 Speaker 3: with people is just a volume problem, where they have 77 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:12,800 Speaker 3: stopped setting firm boundaries and guidelines about how much they consume, 78 00:04:12,920 --> 00:04:15,680 Speaker 3: when they consume, and what they're willing to bring into 79 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:20,200 Speaker 3: their home. I think the other thing around organization is 80 00:04:20,279 --> 00:04:23,839 Speaker 3: just over complicating it. So the main themes that I 81 00:04:23,920 --> 00:04:26,880 Speaker 3: see are running to the container store to buy more 82 00:04:26,880 --> 00:04:31,280 Speaker 3: containers as opposed to really addressing the volume problem or 83 00:04:31,320 --> 00:04:35,560 Speaker 3: overorganizing is a big one for people thinking that they 84 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:39,040 Speaker 3: have to have everything color coded or alphabetized, and then 85 00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:44,479 Speaker 3: getting so overwhelmed that they feel paralyzed. And so my 86 00:04:44,920 --> 00:04:48,719 Speaker 3: process really starts with clarity, what do I want and 87 00:04:48,760 --> 00:04:51,080 Speaker 3: what's in the way, And when you look at the 88 00:04:51,120 --> 00:04:53,320 Speaker 3: things in your home, you can start seeing them through 89 00:04:53,320 --> 00:04:56,080 Speaker 3: that lens of are these things that I own that 90 00:04:56,120 --> 00:04:58,680 Speaker 3: I surround myself with getting me closer to that vision 91 00:04:58,760 --> 00:05:01,320 Speaker 3: of the life I want or or are they a 92 00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:04,520 Speaker 3: time suck and taking me further and further away. 93 00:05:04,279 --> 00:05:04,960 Speaker 2: From that vision. 94 00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:09,200 Speaker 3: And I think having that compelling north star of here's 95 00:05:09,240 --> 00:05:13,480 Speaker 3: the thing I want most is really liberating for people 96 00:05:13,680 --> 00:05:16,839 Speaker 3: in then starting to look at their stuff because you 97 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:21,160 Speaker 3: can really you can explain wanting to keep anything or 98 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:23,880 Speaker 3: anything being useful. But I think when you look at 99 00:05:23,880 --> 00:05:26,920 Speaker 3: it through that lens of is this getting me closer 100 00:05:26,960 --> 00:05:29,720 Speaker 3: to the thing that you want or further away, then 101 00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:31,080 Speaker 3: it's easier for people. 102 00:05:30,839 --> 00:05:31,400 Speaker 2: To let go. 103 00:05:32,040 --> 00:05:35,120 Speaker 1: All right, Well, I was intrigued by a headline on 104 00:05:35,160 --> 00:05:39,599 Speaker 1: your website where you said five things you can do 105 00:05:39,640 --> 00:05:42,360 Speaker 1: in five minutes. I believe talk about something you want 106 00:05:42,400 --> 00:05:44,919 Speaker 1: to click on right there? What are some things we 107 00:05:44,960 --> 00:05:48,640 Speaker 1: can do in five minutes to have a more, better 108 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:49,599 Speaker 1: or useful space? 109 00:05:50,080 --> 00:05:50,640 Speaker 2: Yeah. 110 00:05:50,680 --> 00:05:53,159 Speaker 3: I think number one is set up a donation station 111 00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:56,039 Speaker 3: in your home. I always like to hang a toe 112 00:05:56,040 --> 00:05:59,120 Speaker 3: bag in my entry closet or if you have a mudroom, 113 00:05:59,160 --> 00:06:01,920 Speaker 3: but somewhere right by the front door, that can corral 114 00:06:01,960 --> 00:06:04,320 Speaker 3: things that you just notice you no longer need. 115 00:06:05,360 --> 00:06:07,279 Speaker 2: The other thing I would say is an outbox. 116 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:09,839 Speaker 3: We talk a lot about the inbox for like mail 117 00:06:09,880 --> 00:06:13,279 Speaker 3: and bills, but the outbox is some sort of vessel. 118 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:16,000 Speaker 2: I like a big, pretty basket. 119 00:06:16,120 --> 00:06:20,440 Speaker 3: Again towards your front door, where you can corral all 120 00:06:20,480 --> 00:06:22,440 Speaker 3: of the things that need to see their way out 121 00:06:22,480 --> 00:06:24,800 Speaker 3: of your house. So those are the things that tend 122 00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:28,159 Speaker 3: to clutter all of your surfaces, like the tupperware you 123 00:06:28,240 --> 00:06:32,680 Speaker 3: borrowed from a neighbor, or a shop return for nord 124 00:06:32,720 --> 00:06:36,280 Speaker 3: Storm or Amazon, or you know, all those things that 125 00:06:36,360 --> 00:06:38,240 Speaker 3: need to see their way out. 126 00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:40,520 Speaker 2: So having a dedicated. 127 00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:42,120 Speaker 3: Place by the front door to corral though, so that 128 00:06:42,320 --> 00:06:44,800 Speaker 3: the next time you hop in your car, don't get 129 00:06:44,800 --> 00:06:49,479 Speaker 3: on the bus, you can grab it and go and redistribute. 130 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:52,479 Speaker 3: I would also say, you know, the converse of that 131 00:06:52,600 --> 00:06:55,200 Speaker 3: is having an inbox. So I'm a busy mom. I 132 00:06:55,279 --> 00:06:58,080 Speaker 3: have kids coming and going with school forms and things 133 00:06:58,080 --> 00:07:00,720 Speaker 3: for me to sign, and bills and invites, and they 134 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:03,320 Speaker 3: used to get scattered all over our home, you know, 135 00:07:03,400 --> 00:07:06,760 Speaker 3: littering all of the counters. And so I basically erected 136 00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:09,200 Speaker 3: this very simple system that I call the inbox. 137 00:07:09,400 --> 00:07:12,480 Speaker 2: Here's a basket. If anything needs my attention, pop it 138 00:07:12,520 --> 00:07:14,760 Speaker 2: in here. I will look at it every Sunday. 139 00:07:15,920 --> 00:07:19,000 Speaker 3: And so those like very tiny simple systems have been 140 00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:22,840 Speaker 3: game changing. I also think you know, I started this 141 00:07:22,840 --> 00:07:24,960 Speaker 3: thing a few years ago called the fifteen Minute Win 142 00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:28,520 Speaker 3: that just challenges people to see what you can do 143 00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:31,600 Speaker 3: in terms of tackling a micro project. So that could 144 00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:35,080 Speaker 3: be a junk drawer in your kitchen, it could be 145 00:07:35,240 --> 00:07:39,200 Speaker 3: editing the contents of your wallet or handbag. It could 146 00:07:39,200 --> 00:07:44,040 Speaker 3: be a quickie refrigerator clean out, or a medicine cabinet purge. 147 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:46,920 Speaker 3: But I think it's like those little things go such 148 00:07:46,960 --> 00:07:50,840 Speaker 3: a long way in boosting how we feel on a 149 00:07:50,920 --> 00:07:52,840 Speaker 3: day to day basis, and they really don't have to 150 00:07:52,880 --> 00:07:53,440 Speaker 3: take that long. 151 00:07:54,120 --> 00:07:56,720 Speaker 1: Absolutely, Well, We're going to take a quick ad break 152 00:07:56,720 --> 00:08:06,080 Speaker 1: and then i'll be back with more from Shira Gill. Well, 153 00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:08,720 Speaker 1: I am back talking with Shira Gill, who is an 154 00:08:08,840 --> 00:08:12,720 Speaker 1: organization expert and the author of several books including Lifestyled, 155 00:08:12,840 --> 00:08:17,480 Speaker 1: Organized Living, Minimalista. So another thing I was intrigued vibes 156 00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:22,640 Speaker 1: on all your content and they've been creating travel essentials. So, 157 00:08:23,040 --> 00:08:27,520 Speaker 1: you know, we have very limited space on planes, you know, 158 00:08:28,120 --> 00:08:30,320 Speaker 1: sometimes less than three ounces we can take of various 159 00:08:30,320 --> 00:08:33,120 Speaker 1: six What are your travel essentials that you think people 160 00:08:33,120 --> 00:08:34,360 Speaker 1: should be looking into. 161 00:08:34,679 --> 00:08:36,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's so funny that I just got back from 162 00:08:36,679 --> 00:08:40,200 Speaker 3: a one month's trip that I went to all over 163 00:08:40,280 --> 00:08:42,960 Speaker 3: Europe in a tiny carry on bag, so I was 164 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:47,560 Speaker 3: tested more than ever. And in Europe they have different 165 00:08:47,559 --> 00:08:52,640 Speaker 3: travel standards and so the typical American travel standards for 166 00:08:52,760 --> 00:08:55,680 Speaker 3: things like toiletries were completely thrown out the window, so 167 00:08:55,720 --> 00:08:58,080 Speaker 3: I had to edit even further. So I would say 168 00:08:58,679 --> 00:09:01,319 Speaker 3: toiletries are the thing that get people in trouble more 169 00:09:01,360 --> 00:09:04,720 Speaker 3: than anything. So tip number one is trust that wherever 170 00:09:04,760 --> 00:09:07,280 Speaker 3: you go, there will be shampoo, there will be conditioner, 171 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:08,160 Speaker 3: there will be soap. 172 00:09:08,400 --> 00:09:10,120 Speaker 2: You do not have to pack those things up. 173 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:13,720 Speaker 3: So I really focus on thinking about, like what is 174 00:09:13,760 --> 00:09:17,680 Speaker 3: my capsule collection of like the five minute face that 175 00:09:17,720 --> 00:09:21,480 Speaker 3: I need. So I also like dual purpose products. So 176 00:09:21,640 --> 00:09:23,280 Speaker 3: for me, I don't wear a ton of makeup, but 177 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:27,000 Speaker 3: I love like a cheek lip duo, so one product 178 00:09:27,080 --> 00:09:30,839 Speaker 3: instead of two. I like a tiny tub of coconut oil, 179 00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:33,839 Speaker 3: which you can use as a moisturizer. You can use 180 00:09:33,840 --> 00:09:37,120 Speaker 3: it to tame frizzies on your hair, you can use 181 00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:38,240 Speaker 3: it as a makeup remover. 182 00:09:38,679 --> 00:09:40,079 Speaker 2: So really thinking about. 183 00:09:39,800 --> 00:09:43,560 Speaker 3: What are those dual purpose or even triple purpose products 184 00:09:43,559 --> 00:09:46,679 Speaker 3: that you might have, And for me, it's getting that 185 00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:52,480 Speaker 3: toiletry baged down to one tiny compact system that consists 186 00:09:52,520 --> 00:09:57,760 Speaker 3: of deodorant, face wash, moisturizer, and a few basic makeup 187 00:09:57,920 --> 00:10:02,000 Speaker 3: essentials and that's it. My other trick, I'm a person 188 00:10:02,040 --> 00:10:04,800 Speaker 3: with zero hair skills, so I will often get a 189 00:10:04,840 --> 00:10:07,199 Speaker 3: blowout or get my hair done prior to a trip 190 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:09,840 Speaker 3: and then just not touch it, not bring any hair 191 00:10:09,920 --> 00:10:12,160 Speaker 3: care essentials or products, which also can. 192 00:10:12,040 --> 00:10:12,840 Speaker 2: Clutter up a bag. 193 00:10:14,160 --> 00:10:19,920 Speaker 3: Other quick travel tips I swear by the space saving 194 00:10:20,200 --> 00:10:24,880 Speaker 3: packing cube is actually my number one travel essential. They 195 00:10:25,120 --> 00:10:28,240 Speaker 3: really can double or triple the space in your luggage. 196 00:10:28,280 --> 00:10:31,840 Speaker 3: So for me, I'll use one packing cube for tops 197 00:10:31,840 --> 00:10:34,240 Speaker 3: and bottoms, another for underwear and pajamas. 198 00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:37,000 Speaker 2: And the other big thing is just shoes. 199 00:10:37,080 --> 00:10:39,720 Speaker 3: Shoes are the largest thing typically that we pack, so 200 00:10:40,280 --> 00:10:43,320 Speaker 3: wearing your bulkiest pair of shoes on the plane and 201 00:10:43,360 --> 00:10:46,240 Speaker 3: then potentially limiting yourself to just one that you pack 202 00:10:46,280 --> 00:10:47,040 Speaker 3: in your suitcase. 203 00:10:47,720 --> 00:10:50,079 Speaker 1: So I have a question about the packing cubes, because 204 00:10:50,360 --> 00:10:54,319 Speaker 1: I mean, the laws of physics don't change based on 205 00:10:55,080 --> 00:10:58,440 Speaker 1: So what is it about the packing cubes that is 206 00:10:58,520 --> 00:11:02,360 Speaker 1: expanding the volume of stuff that we can bring in 207 00:11:02,480 --> 00:11:03,520 Speaker 1: any given container. 208 00:11:03,720 --> 00:11:06,199 Speaker 3: Yes, it's such a good question. The answer is compression 209 00:11:06,679 --> 00:11:11,320 Speaker 3: so when you put your your goodies in a packing cube, 210 00:11:11,360 --> 00:11:14,320 Speaker 3: so I can layer like ten blouses in a packing 211 00:11:14,360 --> 00:11:16,959 Speaker 3: cube and they look like they're exploding. But when you 212 00:11:17,120 --> 00:11:20,240 Speaker 3: when you zip it, it compresses and removes all of 213 00:11:20,280 --> 00:11:24,439 Speaker 3: the air, so it's almost works as suction, and so 214 00:11:24,480 --> 00:11:27,080 Speaker 3: it can take this huge mountain of clothes and. 215 00:11:27,040 --> 00:11:30,360 Speaker 2: Reduce it to like a tiny, little compact package. 216 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:32,040 Speaker 1: Okay, all right, now I've got. 217 00:11:33,520 --> 00:11:34,600 Speaker 2: I promise it works. 218 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:38,040 Speaker 1: Promise it works exactly. So Sharrah. A lot of people, 219 00:11:38,520 --> 00:11:41,360 Speaker 1: I mean, really like the aesthetic of your work. Like 220 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:43,640 Speaker 1: I said, like you have sort of coffee table looking 221 00:11:43,679 --> 00:11:47,640 Speaker 1: books that you've you've written over the years. I'm curious 222 00:11:47,760 --> 00:11:50,760 Speaker 1: how you would describe what that aesthetic is. I was 223 00:11:50,800 --> 00:11:54,000 Speaker 1: saying things like calming, natural colors, But I wonder how 224 00:11:54,480 --> 00:11:57,400 Speaker 1: you would describe it. And what if somebody is trying 225 00:11:57,440 --> 00:11:59,640 Speaker 1: to go for something like that, what gets included in 226 00:11:59,679 --> 00:12:01,840 Speaker 1: what does not get included in that? 227 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:03,320 Speaker 2: Oh, that's a fun question. 228 00:12:03,480 --> 00:12:07,720 Speaker 3: I think I would probably say warm minimalism. I think 229 00:12:08,080 --> 00:12:12,440 Speaker 3: often people think of minimalism as very stark and kind 230 00:12:12,480 --> 00:12:16,839 Speaker 3: of austere, and I like my spaces to feel very 231 00:12:16,880 --> 00:12:18,520 Speaker 3: warm and cozy and inviting. 232 00:12:18,920 --> 00:12:22,680 Speaker 2: But I still like them very stripped down and clutter free. 233 00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:25,600 Speaker 3: So I think I'm always looking at things like the 234 00:12:25,600 --> 00:12:29,120 Speaker 3: bones of a home, like how do you elevate beautiful 235 00:12:29,200 --> 00:12:32,600 Speaker 3: paint and crown moldings. And I live in a home 236 00:12:32,640 --> 00:12:35,240 Speaker 3: that's one hundred and twenty years old, so I love 237 00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:39,480 Speaker 3: to kind of highlight those old elements and then really 238 00:12:39,520 --> 00:12:41,840 Speaker 3: invest in the things that take up the most space, 239 00:12:42,040 --> 00:12:45,360 Speaker 3: So like a couch or a bed that takes up 240 00:12:45,480 --> 00:12:48,600 Speaker 3: you know, sometimes ninety percent of your room. Those are 241 00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:51,880 Speaker 3: the places where I really invest in getting high quality 242 00:12:52,400 --> 00:12:56,920 Speaker 3: items and then being very thoughtful about the accessories. So 243 00:12:57,480 --> 00:13:01,760 Speaker 3: I'm a huge fan of bringing the out in. Whenever 244 00:13:01,800 --> 00:13:04,760 Speaker 3: I'm decorating a space, I just think about fresh flowers 245 00:13:04,920 --> 00:13:07,880 Speaker 3: or plants as a way of warming the space up, 246 00:13:08,040 --> 00:13:11,800 Speaker 3: and also textiles, so even if there's not a lot 247 00:13:11,920 --> 00:13:14,679 Speaker 3: in a space, Like I'm looking at my living room 248 00:13:14,760 --> 00:13:16,880 Speaker 3: right now, which literally just has a couch and a 249 00:13:16,880 --> 00:13:19,719 Speaker 3: coffee table and a chair, but I warm that up 250 00:13:19,800 --> 00:13:22,920 Speaker 3: with throw pillows and with art and with flowers and 251 00:13:23,480 --> 00:13:25,680 Speaker 3: blankets so that it feels inviting. 252 00:13:26,440 --> 00:13:29,800 Speaker 1: Okay, got it, got it? So what's your schedule looking 253 00:13:29,840 --> 00:13:32,160 Speaker 1: like these days? This is kind of a productivity show. 254 00:13:32,240 --> 00:13:34,360 Speaker 1: So I'm curious what life is looking like for you. 255 00:13:34,720 --> 00:13:37,400 Speaker 3: Yeah, busy in a good way, I think, you know. 256 00:13:37,559 --> 00:13:39,680 Speaker 3: I get bored easily. So I always like to have 257 00:13:39,720 --> 00:13:42,600 Speaker 3: a very diverse schedule. So my schedule is kind of 258 00:13:42,600 --> 00:13:46,840 Speaker 3: a combo of seeing clients in person, seeing clients virtually, 259 00:13:47,440 --> 00:13:52,280 Speaker 3: working on books, writing content, doing photoshoots and collaborations with 260 00:13:52,360 --> 00:13:57,120 Speaker 3: other creatives. And I'm also planning multiple retreats and in 261 00:13:57,160 --> 00:14:00,280 Speaker 3: person workshops. So it's a lot of like creative of 262 00:14:00,600 --> 00:14:03,439 Speaker 3: dreaming and scheming, and then also client work. 263 00:14:04,000 --> 00:14:07,600 Speaker 1: Okay, and so let's talk through daily routine, like what 264 00:14:07,640 --> 00:14:09,000 Speaker 1: time do you get up in the morning and what 265 00:14:09,040 --> 00:14:09,360 Speaker 1: do you do? 266 00:14:09,440 --> 00:14:09,720 Speaker 2: Then? 267 00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:15,240 Speaker 3: Yeah, so sleep is my number one priority. I'm hardcore 268 00:14:15,280 --> 00:14:18,880 Speaker 3: about sleep, so I'm always in bed by ten ten thirty, 269 00:14:19,560 --> 00:14:22,040 Speaker 3: and I tend to sleep until seven or seven thirty. 270 00:14:22,720 --> 00:14:24,680 Speaker 3: Now that my kids are older and not waking me 271 00:14:24,720 --> 00:14:28,760 Speaker 3: at five in the morning, that mainly can be adhered to. 272 00:14:29,280 --> 00:14:32,800 Speaker 3: So I'm getting a really solid chunk of sleep every night. 273 00:14:32,920 --> 00:14:37,200 Speaker 3: Otherwise I found I just am useless. So that's number 274 00:14:37,240 --> 00:14:40,200 Speaker 3: one is sleep. And then I wake up in the morning. 275 00:14:40,360 --> 00:14:46,080 Speaker 3: I don't have a very I guess massive morning routine. 276 00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:48,640 Speaker 3: I try to keep it, I guess really minimal, but 277 00:14:48,960 --> 00:14:51,480 Speaker 3: I drink a huge amount of water first thing when 278 00:14:51,520 --> 00:14:53,640 Speaker 3: I wake up, and we have a dog, so I 279 00:14:53,720 --> 00:14:57,360 Speaker 3: kind of integrate walking the dog with getting my exercise, 280 00:14:57,360 --> 00:14:59,840 Speaker 3: getting fresh air first thing in the morning, and then 281 00:14:59,880 --> 00:15:02,160 Speaker 3: I typically sitting down to work by nine. 282 00:15:02,880 --> 00:15:04,960 Speaker 1: All right, Well, we're going to hear a little bit 283 00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:07,240 Speaker 1: more about SHA's routine after this, but we're going to 284 00:15:07,280 --> 00:15:16,920 Speaker 1: take one more quick ad break. Well, I am back 285 00:15:17,080 --> 00:15:20,200 Speaker 1: talking with Shira Gill, who's an organization expert and the 286 00:15:20,240 --> 00:15:22,800 Speaker 1: author of several books. All right, so, share, you're at 287 00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:26,560 Speaker 1: your workplace or your work your desk around nine, starting work. 288 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:28,640 Speaker 1: I know you're managing lots of projects all the time. 289 00:15:28,760 --> 00:15:30,480 Speaker 1: How do you figure out what you should be doing 290 00:15:30,600 --> 00:15:32,320 Speaker 1: at any given time? Is there a time you plan 291 00:15:32,400 --> 00:15:34,320 Speaker 1: your schedule or any approach you take to this? 292 00:15:34,680 --> 00:15:34,880 Speaker 2: Yeah? 293 00:15:34,920 --> 00:15:38,640 Speaker 3: Absolutely. So I always have one big goal that I'm 294 00:15:38,680 --> 00:15:42,000 Speaker 3: working towards. For the past three years, that's been a book. 295 00:15:42,080 --> 00:15:44,520 Speaker 3: I've written three books back to back, so kind of 296 00:15:44,560 --> 00:15:48,320 Speaker 3: the big goal is writing and finishing a manuscript that 297 00:15:48,720 --> 00:15:52,000 Speaker 3: anchors the rest of my schedule. So I find that 298 00:15:52,200 --> 00:15:55,480 Speaker 3: I am brightest and sharpest in the morning, and so 299 00:15:55,600 --> 00:15:57,760 Speaker 3: once the kids are out the door, the dog is walked. 300 00:15:58,240 --> 00:16:01,360 Speaker 3: I really use from nine to every day for my 301 00:16:02,280 --> 00:16:06,040 Speaker 3: key productivity. So typically that's writing a book, or it's 302 00:16:06,040 --> 00:16:10,400 Speaker 3: writing content for my substack, but it's not client work 303 00:16:11,840 --> 00:16:14,640 Speaker 3: that always happens first in the day for me. Whatever 304 00:16:14,720 --> 00:16:18,120 Speaker 3: that priority is developing a new program, writing a book. 305 00:16:19,840 --> 00:16:23,040 Speaker 3: And then after that I always have lunch. I'm very 306 00:16:23,040 --> 00:16:26,400 Speaker 3: big into food, so I would say from noon to one, 307 00:16:26,640 --> 00:16:29,080 Speaker 3: I'm always eating, and that's a time when I can 308 00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:32,600 Speaker 3: catch up on emails, call a friend. And then the 309 00:16:32,720 --> 00:16:38,280 Speaker 3: afternoon tends to be things like client work. I go 310 00:16:38,360 --> 00:16:41,560 Speaker 3: on podcasts often in the afternoon. If I need to 311 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:44,840 Speaker 3: schedule something like a networking meeting or a photoshoot, that 312 00:16:44,840 --> 00:16:48,880 Speaker 3: would be in the afternoon. And then family time starts 313 00:16:48,880 --> 00:16:51,040 Speaker 3: for me around five or six every day, when my 314 00:16:51,600 --> 00:16:54,400 Speaker 3: kids and husband and dog and all of the beings 315 00:16:54,560 --> 00:16:55,080 Speaker 3: come back. 316 00:16:55,960 --> 00:16:57,960 Speaker 1: And do you have a wind down routine that helps 317 00:16:57,960 --> 00:16:59,800 Speaker 1: you get to bed ten ten thirty at night? 318 00:17:00,320 --> 00:17:02,800 Speaker 3: I do, yeah, So we typically have dinner together as 319 00:17:02,800 --> 00:17:06,520 Speaker 3: a family. We're total early birds, our whole family, so 320 00:17:06,560 --> 00:17:10,159 Speaker 3: we eat, you know, buy five thirty or six, and 321 00:17:10,200 --> 00:17:13,160 Speaker 3: then my kids knock out the dishes, which is amazing 322 00:17:13,880 --> 00:17:16,879 Speaker 3: now that they're older. And during that time, I do 323 00:17:17,080 --> 00:17:19,240 Speaker 3: kind of like a ten minute tidy of the space. 324 00:17:19,280 --> 00:17:22,240 Speaker 3: So I'll wipe down the dining room table, which also 325 00:17:22,320 --> 00:17:25,359 Speaker 3: doubles as my office space in the morning, so I 326 00:17:25,400 --> 00:17:27,879 Speaker 3: want that to be nice and clear and clean. And 327 00:17:27,960 --> 00:17:30,960 Speaker 3: then I'll take about fifteen minutes, I'll sit down with 328 00:17:31,080 --> 00:17:35,600 Speaker 3: my calendar and my notebook and I'll basically make a 329 00:17:35,600 --> 00:17:38,919 Speaker 3: little cheat sheet for the following day. I do this 330 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:42,040 Speaker 3: on a white index card or in a notebook, and 331 00:17:42,080 --> 00:17:45,280 Speaker 3: I literally just write down my day. So like today, 332 00:17:45,320 --> 00:17:49,119 Speaker 3: it was like block the Dog podcast with you. I 333 00:17:49,160 --> 00:17:52,680 Speaker 3: have a dentist appointment, I have another podcast, I'm doing 334 00:17:52,680 --> 00:17:55,560 Speaker 3: some writing, and then picking up dinner. So I can 335 00:17:55,640 --> 00:17:58,520 Speaker 3: see all of that at a glance with this note card, 336 00:17:58,720 --> 00:18:01,560 Speaker 3: and I think, think what that process does for me 337 00:18:01,680 --> 00:18:05,320 Speaker 3: is it reminds me of anything such as I need 338 00:18:05,320 --> 00:18:07,879 Speaker 3: to confirm this appointment, or I need to lay out clothes, 339 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:11,040 Speaker 3: or I need to pack a lunch or snacks, so 340 00:18:11,080 --> 00:18:14,119 Speaker 3: that when I go to bed, I'm really prepped already 341 00:18:14,160 --> 00:18:17,320 Speaker 3: for waking up and diving into my day. All of 342 00:18:17,320 --> 00:18:18,800 Speaker 3: those things are checked off. 343 00:18:19,080 --> 00:18:21,200 Speaker 1: All right, got it? So we're organized for the next 344 00:18:21,280 --> 00:18:25,920 Speaker 1: day by the day before always good. So one of 345 00:18:25,960 --> 00:18:30,679 Speaker 1: the questions I always ask people is what is something 346 00:18:30,720 --> 00:18:34,000 Speaker 1: you have done recently to take a day from great 347 00:18:34,240 --> 00:18:34,800 Speaker 1: to awesome? 348 00:18:37,240 --> 00:18:39,960 Speaker 3: For me, it's always going to this very intense core 349 00:18:40,040 --> 00:18:44,240 Speaker 3: power yoga class where I sweat my brains out. It's 350 00:18:44,280 --> 00:18:46,719 Speaker 3: about forty five minutes. I have to get there, I 351 00:18:46,760 --> 00:18:49,080 Speaker 3: have to park, I have to shower afterwards. But what 352 00:18:49,160 --> 00:18:52,040 Speaker 3: I find is when I can get to that class, 353 00:18:52,520 --> 00:18:56,680 Speaker 3: the energy and momentum I have afterwards like super sizes 354 00:18:56,720 --> 00:19:00,159 Speaker 3: my day. So that's something I'm trying to integrate five 355 00:19:00,240 --> 00:19:03,760 Speaker 3: days a week, which is very difficult by. 356 00:19:03,680 --> 00:19:04,919 Speaker 1: I say, when does that happen? 357 00:19:05,320 --> 00:19:07,840 Speaker 2: I do see any space earlier? You do not stay 358 00:19:07,960 --> 00:19:08,439 Speaker 2: to space? 359 00:19:08,560 --> 00:19:12,280 Speaker 3: Yeah, So I always do Saturday and Sunday mornings, so 360 00:19:12,960 --> 00:19:16,160 Speaker 3: I kind of have a guaranteed two in my week, 361 00:19:16,280 --> 00:19:20,480 Speaker 3: and then I'll typically do one evening. So three is 362 00:19:20,520 --> 00:19:22,800 Speaker 3: really easy for me. It's getting to four or five. 363 00:19:23,280 --> 00:19:25,159 Speaker 3: That just depends on the week. Like if I have 364 00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:28,200 Speaker 3: a nice you know block in the middle of my day, 365 00:19:28,240 --> 00:19:30,520 Speaker 3: say and I can run and do a twelve to one. 366 00:19:30,840 --> 00:19:34,760 Speaker 3: But I do find for me exercises the biggest productivity 367 00:19:34,760 --> 00:19:38,560 Speaker 3: hack that I have. It just really changes my energy 368 00:19:38,600 --> 00:19:39,439 Speaker 3: in my momentum. 369 00:19:40,040 --> 00:19:41,840 Speaker 1: But forty five minutes away is quite a way. 370 00:19:42,320 --> 00:19:45,040 Speaker 3: Oh sorry, it's not forty five minutes, Okay, classes forty 371 00:19:45,040 --> 00:19:45,720 Speaker 3: five minutes. 372 00:19:45,480 --> 00:19:48,359 Speaker 1: Okay, yeah, whoa, No, no, no, that would be a 373 00:19:48,359 --> 00:19:49,280 Speaker 1: really good instructor. 374 00:19:49,440 --> 00:19:52,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, no, I'm not that dedicated. 375 00:19:52,440 --> 00:19:54,720 Speaker 3: So yeah, it's about ten minutes from my house, Okay, 376 00:19:54,720 --> 00:19:56,320 Speaker 3: So I have to kind of have a buffer of 377 00:19:56,359 --> 00:19:59,439 Speaker 3: like fifteen to twenty on either side for parking, and 378 00:19:59,480 --> 00:20:02,959 Speaker 3: then because it's a high intensity sweat class, I do 379 00:20:03,080 --> 00:20:05,840 Speaker 3: have to then go home and shower. So it really 380 00:20:05,880 --> 00:20:08,159 Speaker 3: I would say, like all told, I need to budget 381 00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:11,560 Speaker 3: two hours to do this, which is a decent chunk 382 00:20:11,600 --> 00:20:14,200 Speaker 3: of the day. But then I feel like it gives 383 00:20:14,200 --> 00:20:16,480 Speaker 3: me this whole new lease on life where then I 384 00:20:16,520 --> 00:20:19,760 Speaker 3: can work and be productive for many more hours when 385 00:20:20,080 --> 00:20:23,280 Speaker 3: typically I would be in a slump by the afternoon. Yeah, 386 00:20:23,520 --> 00:20:25,959 Speaker 3: although it's interesting, you know, I feel like even with 387 00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:29,400 Speaker 3: things like that, we can sometimes work on our transitions 388 00:20:29,440 --> 00:20:31,760 Speaker 3: to be faster as well. I wonder if that's something 389 00:20:31,800 --> 00:20:34,880 Speaker 3: you've thought about in your life. Absolutely, I mean, honestly, 390 00:20:34,960 --> 00:20:37,680 Speaker 3: sometimes I'm like I don't need to shower this minute. 391 00:20:37,840 --> 00:20:40,000 Speaker 3: I'm feeling revved up and I'm going to write or 392 00:20:40,040 --> 00:20:41,840 Speaker 3: I'm going to make that phone call and all shower 393 00:20:42,280 --> 00:20:47,119 Speaker 3: later and just it'll be okay. I think, you know, 394 00:20:47,320 --> 00:20:49,640 Speaker 3: for me, I don't have I don't take that long 395 00:20:49,680 --> 00:20:52,560 Speaker 3: to get ready, both in the morning or post workout. 396 00:20:53,040 --> 00:20:55,000 Speaker 3: I like I mentioned, I don't know how to do 397 00:20:55,080 --> 00:20:58,080 Speaker 3: my hair, so I find that many people have like 398 00:20:58,119 --> 00:20:59,960 Speaker 3: these elaborate hair or makeup routines. 399 00:21:00,280 --> 00:21:00,919 Speaker 2: I don't have that. 400 00:21:00,960 --> 00:21:03,479 Speaker 3: It takes me about five minutes to throw myself together 401 00:21:03,560 --> 00:21:04,679 Speaker 3: and put my hair in. 402 00:21:04,680 --> 00:21:07,159 Speaker 2: A messy butN so that does save time. 403 00:21:07,600 --> 00:21:12,399 Speaker 3: I think for me, the big blocks are always sleep, eating, 404 00:21:12,480 --> 00:21:15,800 Speaker 3: and exercise, and if I get those pillars in the 405 00:21:15,840 --> 00:21:19,160 Speaker 3: rest of my day tends to work and be optimized. 406 00:21:19,680 --> 00:21:23,280 Speaker 1: Absolutely. So, Cheryl, what's something you are looking forward to 407 00:21:23,440 --> 00:21:23,880 Speaker 1: right now? 408 00:21:25,640 --> 00:21:28,320 Speaker 3: I am doing my first ever in person retreat with 409 00:21:28,359 --> 00:21:31,760 Speaker 3: my brother who is a chef, and so he is 410 00:21:31,840 --> 00:21:35,240 Speaker 3: providing all of the food and snacks and provisions for 411 00:21:35,359 --> 00:21:38,520 Speaker 3: this retreat. That is a big goal setting retreat. So 412 00:21:38,560 --> 00:21:41,720 Speaker 3: I have fifteen women coming from all over the world. 413 00:21:41,760 --> 00:21:44,879 Speaker 3: I actually have some people flying in from Montreal and 414 00:21:44,960 --> 00:21:49,800 Speaker 3: Amsterdam and We're meeting in California this fall, and I'm 415 00:21:49,800 --> 00:21:52,560 Speaker 3: going to coach people through my goal setting process and 416 00:21:52,600 --> 00:21:54,600 Speaker 3: then we're going to turn that into kind of a 417 00:21:54,600 --> 00:21:57,000 Speaker 3: business mastermind and accountability group. 418 00:21:57,480 --> 00:21:59,000 Speaker 1: Well that sounds like a ton of fun. And I've 419 00:21:59,040 --> 00:22:00,000 Speaker 1: bet the food will be amaze. 420 00:22:00,520 --> 00:22:02,960 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's all about the food. That's how it started. 421 00:22:04,359 --> 00:22:06,520 Speaker 3: We build the food first and everything else. 422 00:22:06,720 --> 00:22:08,600 Speaker 1: I have the food, I need to have a reason 423 00:22:08,600 --> 00:22:09,200 Speaker 1: to bring people. 424 00:22:09,200 --> 00:22:11,280 Speaker 2: That's right, that's right. That food came first. And and I 425 00:22:11,320 --> 00:22:12,720 Speaker 2: was like, well, what is this retreat? 426 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:17,840 Speaker 1: I love it? I love it absolutely so, Shierra. Where 427 00:22:17,840 --> 00:22:18,879 Speaker 1: can people find you? 428 00:22:19,480 --> 00:22:22,159 Speaker 3: Yeah, so people can find me on my website Shiragil 429 00:22:22,240 --> 00:22:25,600 Speaker 3: dot com. I also write a substack called the Life Edit, 430 00:22:26,359 --> 00:22:30,159 Speaker 3: where I drop tips and inspiration towards living a clutter 431 00:22:30,200 --> 00:22:31,800 Speaker 3: free life every Tuesday. 432 00:22:32,320 --> 00:22:35,240 Speaker 1: Excellent. Well Sherra, Thank you so much for joining us. 433 00:22:35,320 --> 00:22:39,080 Speaker 1: Thank you to everyone for listening. If you have feedback 434 00:22:39,200 --> 00:22:42,720 Speaker 1: about this or any other episode, you can always reach 435 00:22:42,800 --> 00:22:46,920 Speaker 1: me at Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. In the meantime, 436 00:22:47,080 --> 00:22:50,520 Speaker 1: this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's to making 437 00:22:50,560 --> 00:23:00,000 Speaker 1: the most of our time. Thanks for listening to Before Breakfast. 438 00:23:00,840 --> 00:23:04,560 Speaker 1: If you've got questions, ideas, or feedback, you can reach 439 00:23:04,640 --> 00:23:14,320 Speaker 1: me at Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. Before Breakfast 440 00:23:14,359 --> 00:23:18,640 Speaker 1: is a production of iHeartMedia. For more podcasts from iHeartMedia, 441 00:23:18,680 --> 00:23:22,719 Speaker 1: please visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 442 00:23:22,760 --> 00:23:24,000 Speaker 1: listen to your favorite shows.