How to Improve Your Productivity and More

Discover how to clarify your priorities, fuel an impact and make every minute matter here on the Organize for Success® productivity blog. View recent posts below or use the search bar to find a specific topic of interest - like productivity at work, productivity in business, personal productivity or ways to organize your life.

First Friday Female Founder Feature: Leslie Douglas

First Friday Female Founder Feature: Leslie Douglas

This month’s First Friday Female Founder post features Leslie Douglas, Founder of The Grove Coaching, who helps women in sales and leadership develop human-centered sales skills, productivity systems that work with real brains (especially neurodivergent ones) and messaging that actually fits their real selves. Understanding that women are incredibly successful in sales, Leslie helps them create support systems, leadership models and coaching skills that honor how we naturally communicate and build trust.

ProductivityEmily ParksMarch 6, 2026Business Productivity, get organized, hectivity, shop smallComment

Core Values Really Matter

Core Values Really Matter

With a mission to thrive, not simply survive, even amidst life’s challenges, core values are integral for cultivating joy and fulfillment. These 7 values drive everything for me at home, in my work, throughout my community as well as in the self care of my mind, body and spirit. I embrace these qualities in interactions with clients, with my squad, with members of my community and with how I handle myself. Learn all about these 7 core values in this blog post.

ProductivityEmily ParksFebruary 19, 2026Business Productivity, organization, get organized, hectivity, shop smallComment

First Friday Female Founder Feature: Aneesa Johnson

First Friday Female Founder Feature: Aneesa Johnson

This month’s First Friday Female Founder post features Aneesa Johnson, Owner of Harmony Weddings and Events as well as Certified Wedding Planner who specializes in multi-cultural and fusion weddings but whose poise, patience, professionalism and skill with pivoting make her exceptional.

ProductivityEmily ParksFebruary 6, 2026Business Productivity, get organized, hectivity, shop smallComment

First Friday Female Founder Feature: Melissa Gratias

First Friday Female Founder Feature: Melissa Gratias

This month’s First Friday Female Founder post features Dr. Melissa Gratias, Owner / Principal at Crazy Productive, LLC, a fellow graduate of Wake Forest University and Kappa Alpha Theta sister who was not born organized but became organized. She coaches and trains professionals to be more effective at work so they don’t have to struggle with productivity as she once did.

ProductivityEmily ParksJanuary 2, 2026Business Productivity, get organized, hectivity, shop smallComment

First Friday Female Founder Feature: Jen Bauldree

First Friday Female Founder Feature: Jen Bauldree

This month’s First Friday Female Founder post features Jen Bauldree, owner of Jen Bauldree Photography, a portrait photographer creating unforgettable portraits that celebrate high school seniors and families. She is passionate about providing fun and stress-free portrait sessions that make those she is photographing feel confident, celebrated and joy-filled.

ProductivityEmily ParksDecember 5, 2025Business Productivity, get organized, hectivity, shop smallComment

First Friday Female Founder Feature: Yvette Cannas

First Friday Female Founder Feature: Yvette Cannas

This month’s First Friday Female Founder post features Yvette Cannas, owner of Bacio Salon, who does my own hair, is dedicated to serving Raleigh’s most discerning clientele with exceptional expertise as well as passion and positively impacts this world through community, care and compassion.

ProductivityEmily ParksNovember 7, 2025Business Productivity, get organized, hectivity, shop smallComment

First Friday Female Founder Feature: Reena Bland and Delynn Alexander

First Friday Female Founder Feature: Reena Bland and Delynn Alexander

This month’s First Friday Female Founder post features Reena Bland and Delynn Alexander, co-founders of Aria Financial Services, which is a boutique wealth management firm built around integrity and a family-focused approach while carrying the expertise you’d expect from a national firm. This duo and their team help clients enjoy abundant lives with the freedom and flexibility their hard work has earned them, offering services like investment management, risk management, education planning, retirement planning and more.

ProductivityEmily ParksOctober 3, 2025Business Productivity, get organized, hectivity, shop smallComment

First Friday Female Founder Feature: Terry Bradley Dunn

First Friday Female Founder Feature: Terry Bradley Dunn

This month’s First Friday Female Founder post features Terry Bradley Dunn, President and CEO of Tai-Lynn HR Solutions. Terry and I met at the 2019 Women’s Business Conference from the National Association of Women Business Owners, and it was a true honor to serve alongside Terry on the 2021-22 board of directors for NAWBO’s Greater Raleigh Chapter.

ProductivityEmily ParksSeptember 5, 2025Business Productivity, get organized, hectivity, shop smallComment

FOCU$ED is The Room Where It Happens

FOCU$ED is The Room Where It Happens

FOCU$ED is a conference for ambitious women, developed by KNOW Women to be a catalyst for expansion, connection and up-leveling. With a mentoring topic of “Ready to Thrive… Not Simply Survive?”, I was asked to speak to women who are ready to level up in both business and life about the how to live a fulfilling life, and the energy throughout the day was truly contagious, helping reignite everyone’s passion for fueling their goals.

ProductivityEmily ParksAugust 24, 2025Business Productivity, organization, get organized, hectivity, shop smallComment

First Friday Female Founder Feature: Lorraine Johnson

First Friday Female Founder Feature: Lorraine Johnson

This month’s First Friday Female Founder post features Lorraine Johnson, who founded Triangle Financial Advisors in 2007 as part of her 40-year career as an investment manager and financial planner, where she specialized in working with women business owners and non-traditional families. Lorraine is such a gift, whether via her support of fellow members in NAWBO-GR, her belief in being a decent person or her engagement in causes like mental health as well as equal treatment and rights for everyone.

ProductivityEmily ParksAugust 1, 2025Business Productivity, get organized, hectivity, shop smallComment

Experiencing The Power of Music

Experiencing The Power of Music

Music is powerful. It helps us feel, connect with others, move, sing, get energized and lower anxiety. That’s particularly true for when I’m at a Tim McGraw concert, especially his recent performance at Nashville’s Music City Rodeo.

ProductivityEmily ParksJuly 17, 2025Business Productivity, organization, get organized, hectivity, shop smallComment

First Friday Female Founder Feature: Mimi Soule

First Friday Female Founder Feature: Mimi Soule

This month’s First Friday Female Founder post features Mimi Soule, Owner of Soule Employment Law Firm, where her team serves as a resources to small business clients that provides a combination of both human resources and legal support. The brilliant and talented Mimi truly embodies the “Pro Humanitate” motto of our alma mater, Wake Forest University, as she cultivates a mutually supportive network of those serving small businesses across our state.

ProductivityEmily ParksJuly 4, 2025Business Productivity, get organized, hectivity, shop smallComment

Honoring 50 Years of the National Assocation of Women Business Owners

Honoring 50 Years of the National Assocation of Women Business Owners

Women mean business! Early this week, I returned home from DC, having traveled for the National Association of Women Business Owners’ Advocacy Day and Women’s Business Conference, celebrating 50 years for this amazing group. When women business owners come together to fuel access, accountability and bipartisanship, the impact is inspiring. Plus, check out how I leaned into work-life integration for an ideal trip.

ProductivityEmily ParksJune 13, 2025Business Productivity, organization, get organized, hectivity, shop smallComment

First Friday Female Founder Feature: Melinda McVadon

First Friday Female Founder Feature: Melinda McVadon

This month’s First Friday Female Founder post features Melinda McVadon, Co-Founder of Mojo Brand Magic, where she excels as a branding specialist for solopreneurs and small businesses. Melinda uses the knowledge she garnered as a broadcast journalist and successful fundraiser to share with the clients that a powerful message can mean the difference between success and failure. Since the magic is in the message, Melinda helps clients find their magic to grow their businesses.

ProductivityEmily ParksJune 6, 2025Business Productivity, get organized, hectivity, shop smallComment

The Many Benefits of Getting Organized

The Many Benefits of Getting Organized

Today’s World Organizing Day highlights how organizing and productivity professionals enrich the personal and professional lives of their clients, highlighting the benefits of being organized instead of simply making things neat. Let’s celebrate what you’ve done to make things smoother for future you.

ProductivityEmily ParksMay 20, 2025Business Productivity, organization, get organized, hectivity, shop smallComment

First Friday Female Founder Feature: Syrena N. Williams, JD, MBA, PCC

First Friday Female Founder Feature: Syrena N. Williams, JD, MBA, PCC

This month’s First Friday Female Founder post features Syrena N. Williams, Founder and Executive Director of nonprofit The One Experience, Inc, CEO of her firm Syrena Williams Legal Services, PLLC, as well as CEO of Practical Skills University, LLC, where she offers legal guidance, coaching and consulting to individuals, businesses and nonprofits. Syrena holds space for transformation, truth and sustainability, grounding her work in faith, emotional intelligence and the belief that healing along with growth are both possible as well as necessary.

ProductivityEmily ParksMay 2, 2025Business Productivity, get organized, hectivity, shop smallComment

Celebrating the First 100 Days of the Stein Administration

Celebrating the First 100 Days of the Stein Administration

This past weekend’s North Carolina Governor’s Inaugural Ball festivities were an exceptional experience of reconnecting with fellow change makers and community champions to celebrate the first 100 days of Governor Josh Stein’s gubernatorial service to our great state.

ProductivityEmily ParksApril 7, 2025Business Productivity, organization, get organized, hectivity, shop smallComment

First Friday Female Founder Feature: Elisabeth Lee

First Friday Female Founder Feature: Elisabeth Lee

This month’s First Friday Female Founder post features Elisabeth Lee, who goes by LIs Lee, of Lis Lee Accounting (soon to be Balance & Bloom Bookkeeping), who is a bookkeeper for service-based solopreneurs. Lis serves a partner for each of her clients, working in the weeds with you as you make everyday decisions for your business so you feel calm and confident when looking at your business bank account.

ProductivityEmily ParksApril 4, 2025Business Productivity, get organized, hectivity, shop smallComment

Boost Productivity Through Respite

Boost Productivity Through Respite

Respite appears differently for different folks. For me, it is rarely about lounging around; instead, it is most often about seeing beautiful places with valued members of my squad who push me outside my comfort zone. During my recent vacation, Wyoming, you did NOT disappoint!

ProductivityEmily ParksMarch 20, 2025Business Productivity, organization, get organized, hectivity, shop smallComment

First Friday Female Founder Feature: Judy Fourie

First Friday Female Founder Feature: Judy Fourie

This month’s First Friday Female Founder post features Judy Fourie, President of The Fourie Group and founder of Fourie Insurance in Cary, NC, who has been providing insurance strategies since 1980. Judy guides clients to the right insurance plans with a trust on which they can always count and leads in our community with a calming, level-headed and inspirational presence.

ProductivityEmily ParksMarch 7, 2025Business Productivity, get organized, hectivity, shop smallComment