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Clean SweepMost people, it seems, get the urge to tidy their nests with the arrival of spring, but I look forward every year to the coming of fall, and that’s when I always roll up my sleeves and sweep clean my house and home – and office, too. There’s something about that first cool evening in September, the hint of crisp fall weather to come, that makes me anticipate a season or two spent indoors. Better clear out the detritus of summer –
garden dirt, sand, half-squeezed tubes of sunscreen – and start weatherizing for winter. This year, I gave myself a much-needed summer break, scaling back on less-than-essential commitments. It was a season of rest and renewal, something I often urge my busy executive clients to do but rarely indulge in myself. I discovered an added bonus – now that I’m getting back to the regular pace of work and life, I’m
instinctively looking for ways to stick with the essentials and say “no” to all those other things clamoring for attention. In fact, I am taking the opportunity of the annual fall clean-up to do an even deeper clean of place, body, and soul. And, it occurs to me as I sit in the midst of a pile of papers destined for the shredder: this is a good practice for leaders, too.
A periodic purge, both real and metaphoric, is useful in a number of ways. First, getting rid of excess baggage helps clear your thinking and sharpen your focus, so you can train them on the things that matter most. It calms the mental and emotional turbulence stirred up by the tide of overwhelming obligations and expectations, many of which we created for ourselves in the first place. If you clear out and simplify your workspace,
you’ll notice a physical and emotional difference, too – less clutter, more positive energy. You’ll be setting the stage for more purposeful, intentional action. Apart from the plain emotional satisfaction of clearing up and cleaning out, a purge opens up the space within you for something new to come in. If you want to play a bigger game, take on a new challenge, or shift your purpose, you need a little running
room, not only in time and physical space, but also in mental and emotional space. While our own energy resources may be renewable, they are not infinite, and only so much can fit into the container of your life at any one time. Here are a few ideas for you to get started on your own fall “clean sweep”: - Write down all the commitments you currently have, whether work projects or
personal obligations. Having this list of everything on your plate will serve as a starting point for deciding what to keep and what to clear.
- Make a “not to-do” list along with your “to-do” list. Whatever system you use for personal productivity, you’ll need to remind yourself not to load right back up again on commitments once you’ve cleared the space you need to focus on the priorities.
- Enlist the help of your support resources. Whether you recruit your administrative assistant, use your virtual assistant, or hire a professional organizer, remember that you don’t have to tackle the mountain of stuff in your life completely on your own.
- Keep it manageable. You don’t have to accomplish the whole clean-up in one
afternoon, in fact, you’re unlikely to even get started if you only see it as one enormous task. Think of the purge as a process, something you’ll do over time, in smaller pieces, at quieter moments. It’s a practice that will also afford you the time for reflection as you go.
- Survey your connections and relationships as well as your tasks and projects. You know who the energy drains are in your life, and who supports you in
reaching for your dreams. Now is the time for letting go of attachments that only add to the clutter and overwhelm in your life, whether professional or personal.
A coach can provide you the support you need to get started with your own clean-up and clear-out, so you can focus on what’s next for you. Let’s talk. Call (410)626-6008, or email info@bloomfieldassociates.com. 
A Merrill Lynch survey indicated 16% of the baby boomer workforce is looking for part-time work, and 42% will only take jobs that will allow them periods off for leisure.
Randstad USA’s annual 2008 World of Work survey found that the four generations now in the U.S. workforce—Generation X, Generation Y, baby boomers and "matures" (those born 1900 to 1945)—rarely interact with one another. That lack of communication, the study found, is keeping key institutional job knowledge held by the boomer generation from filtering down to younger workers.
In a recent poll conducted by "Open Air" Magazine, when asked the question: "Would you rather play golf with…?" only 3.7% of the respondents indicated that they preferred their bosses. The respondents were twice as enthusiastic about playing golf with "a total stranger". 
Social Notworking Surfing a social networking site instead of working.
 Executive Stamina: How to Optimize Time, Energy, and Productivity to Achieve Peak Performance, by Marty Seldman, Ph.D., and Joshua Seldman. What I like about it: This father-and-son team (executive coach and fitness coach, respectively) offer a holistic approach to career and personal life. Their goal is to help the reader find their own “career sweet
spot” where competence, enjoyment, deep interest, and meaning all come together.
Beth Bloomfield
Executive Coach, Strategy Consultant
Principal, Bloomfield Associates Share what you’re into — books, articles, movies,
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Georgetown University will host a book signing party on Tuesday, September 23, 5:00-7:00pm, at the Georgetown Center for Continuing Professional Education at 3101 Wilson Blvd., Suite 200, Arlington,VA, for On Becoming a Leadership Coach: A Holistic Approach to Coaching Excellence
, edited by Chris Wahl, Clarice Scriber, and Beth Bloomfield. Contributors include faculty members of the Georgetown Leadership Coaching certificate program, and many of them will be present at the reception. We hope to see all of you there. Copies will be available for sale at the reception, or you can order the book
on Amazon.com. A portion of the proceeds will go to charitable causes.Be sure to check out Beth Bloomfield’s A Different Optic blog, dedicated to exploring what makes for good leadership, how to help leaders develop their skills and capacities, and how to create organizations that nurture and support good leadership. Join in the conversation by adding your own thoughts and comments. Subscribe to the blog feed and get
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