August 12, 2009

So I have to say that as I consider myself to be a highly organized business person, I rarely will purchase a book on how to manage my stuff. But, for whatever reason, this one prompted me to see…what could I be missing? And let me tell you, there was plenty.

After following the author’s directions, I skipped directly to Chapter 6, which resonates beautifully with my life…too much to do in always too little time. The simple “umbrella” technique gives me the illusion or reality of having so much more time in my day, simply by eliminating interruptions.

Chapter 7 was my next challenge and what was most amazing was the fact that these techniques are the ones that I used in the past to manifest in my life. Somehow though, as we get more busy or more successful, we forget the very techniques that helped us to get to that place of success in the first place. What a beautiful reminder.

After this one I decided to look for new or forgotten items in the earlier chapters. And, I have to say that although many of the tips I already practice (some say obsessively), there are plenty of other simple changes that I was able to make which have even more enhanced the flow of my life. As an entrepreneur, financial adviser, single mom, and real estate investor, I have to say that every improvement helps, and the added time just leaves more for myself and my daughter.

Thank you, thank you, Kathi Burns for writing such a life changing masterpiece!

Sincerely, C. Ren Kolar

Practical and Powerful

I don’t usually read or enjoy “organizing” books. But, this book is different. It’s about organizing, yes, but also about life. So, the techniques make sense as ways of creating a more integrated and focused life. Burns show the “how to” but also explains the “why bother”. There’s subtle depth here along with clear ideas on how to structure home and work so that your everyday patterns of behavior support your deepest intentions.

The book is also beautifully written and designed. So, the message of mastering muck comes through in both the lucid ideas and the physical qualities of the book itself.

Eric Klein

Dharma Consulting

Innovative Ideas for Immediate Results

“How to Master Your Muck” is essential reading for anyone who owns a business or who works from home and has an office that needs organizing. As someone who cleans and organizes for a living I gained a new understanding of what it takes to organize an office much more effectively. I am always on the lookout for books that give me new ideas that will impress my clients.

This book also helped me immediately with some small things I should have been paying attention to in my own home. Like I had the hard drive tower on top of my desk because it was easier to turn it on that way. Since my husband and I share the same office and he works on the computer daily removing the hard drive tower freed up some needed desk space and he was able to work more efficiently than before.

Kathi Burns is a professional organizer who has worked with thousands of clients. She not only organizes offices she can also help you select clothes for your wardrobe. She believes that outward actions like organizing and buying a new wardrobe can lead to increased confidence and therefore more money. There is also a section on how to stay on top of your schedule and keep business cards organized so you keep bringing in new business by staying in contact with the people that matter.

There is some information on how to handle email that will free up a lot of your time. For me the simple advice to make up a draft copy of a letter I seem to keep retyping in various ways freed up some of my time. Each time an author writes me about a review I seem to always be retyping the address for where they should send the books. I guess I’ve always thought it was important to write an original letter to each author.

The only thing missing from this book is a few sketches of the organizing equipment mentioned in each chapter. Fortunately Kathi Burns does give URLs at the end of the book so you can look things up online.

The Rebecca Review

This Book Has Something for Everyone!

I love books about getting past feeling stuck and managing my time and my space. I have read probably dozens of them over the years and have frequently used the included tips to help me better manage my life. One might think I wouldn’t want to read any new books on the topic, but I am always on the lookout for new and compelling information. “Master Your Muck” is unique in that it doesn’t just address one main topic, such as time management, getting rid of clutter, or refining one’s image. This book addresses ALL of the potential areas of “stuck-ness” in our lives and offers helpful advice on mastering the various types of muck in which we may find ourselves mired. And better yet, the book is concise and easy to read, enabling busy professionals to gain valuable knowledge in a short period of time. All of this combined constitutes a win-win as far as I’m concerned.

While there are scores of useful nuggets of information in all of the chapters of “Master Your Muck,” I will just mention 3 of my favorite chapters and the information therein which I found most helpful. Chapter Five, “Become the Master of Your In-Box,” particularly resonated for me, as I receive far too many email messages and spend far too much time each day processing my email. I identified with Kathi’s client, Kyla, who would immediately respond to emails as they came in, only to later realize that she sent 40 emails to her boss in one day! Kathi’s advice to check email only 2-3 times per day and to spend the first hour of each day on planning activities is sound. If we move right into email when we start our work day, we quickly enter reaction mode and before we know it, the day is almost over and we have yet to work on any of our top priority tasks! Another great tip which I regularly use is to create rules for incoming messages so that you can deal with them in bulk at a convenient time. I have seen firsthand the time-saving value of this time. Finally, the tip to read an email message, take action on it right away and move on is especially useful for me. It’s like the rule to touch each piece of paper only once and likewise saves immeasurable time. I believe that if I follow all of Kathi’s email tips, I will give myself that extra hour or two a day which we all want.

Managing my busy schedule is a subject of much consideration as a self-employed professional who is also attending school in the evenings. There never seems to be enough time to get to everything on my to-do list, so I read Chapter Six (“How to Let Go and Master Your Schedule”) very intently! Kathi’s tip to list all of the tasks which I perform regularly and then group the tasks into similar categories and do them at a predefined time was useful for me. Also beneficial were the suggested questions for determining whether or not a task is necessary, especially, “Do I need to do this task to become successful or fulfilled?” and “Why did I initially add this task to my life and is that reason still valid?” Many of us do things because we’ve always done them and don’t stop to question whether or not these things are working for us in the present. Asking these targeted questions allowed me to let go of several “time sink” activities in my life which no longer served me. Another great tip in this chapter is to give myself a day before responding to requests for new commitments. This will allow me to really think about the request and whether or not it fits into my life. In addition, I will have time to decide what I will need to give up in order to make time for the new activity should I opt to take it on.

The last (but certainly not the least) chapter which I will mention is Chapter Eight, “Create a Masterful Image.” I am a woman who LOVES to shop but often found myself with “nothing to wear” despite my bulging closet. After reading the image chapter, I realize that part of the reason for that phenomenon was that I hadn’t made clear decisions about how I wanted to “show up” and the image which I wanted to create for myself. For many years, I cultivated a more cute and romantic look, but in recent years, I wanted to look more classic and sophisticated. However, it took a while for my purchases to catch up with my inner image desires. I needed to take some time to really examine my psyche and my closet to get on a better path in terms of my image. One of the first steps Kathi recommends after determining one’s image goals is to clear space in one’s closet. She provides concrete suggestions on how to clear out closet “muck” and create space for a new and compelling image. She suggests trying on each wardrobe item in order to appropriately evaluate whether it stays or goes and offers tips for making this decision. Next, Kathi helps the reader to make good selections when shopping for new items. She makes suggestions for color palette, fit, and figure enhancement and offers a few stories of clients who have overhauled their image to dramatic results. This chapter can be read in less than an hour and is chock full of tips for transforming your image! I have only mentioned a few, but there are many more suggestions which can be implemented quickly and effectively by all readers.

For the reasons outlined above and many more, I would recommend “Master Your Muck” to pretty much anyone I know and especially to other business owners who work from home. There is something for everyone in this book! I am certain that people of all ages would glean at least several useful tips from within this wonderful book. I’m glad I read it, and I intend to re-read it to learn still more ways to master my own personal “muck.”

Debbie Roes
Incline Web Design