No, not checks. Yourself. Whether we’re one month down or six months into the year, it’s always a good time to revisit personal values. If you have found yourself feeling overwhelmed or dissatisfied this past year, (it’s normal, whatever that is? However, let’s not digress).

Simply put, aside from external circumstances, often doubt arises from not upholding the personal values and goals you set for yourself during day-to-day life.

Before time slips away, it’s worth taking a few minutes within your day to reflect on what your personal values and goals are to revitalize your daily routine.

As cliché as it may seem, there’s no escaping the fact, feeling accomplished is a value in life, which increases happiness.

Here are five tips on how creating a functional workspace with iStratus, can honor your values:

Accountability

Being aware of your values in decision-making also holds you accountable for choices.

The iStratus ‘Daily Drop Box’ helps set things out. So next time a new project lands on your desk, use iStratus to establish a ‘sketch’ of your values before saying, “Yes” or “No”.

Following through with a clear direction could lead to an unexpected outcome where you aren’t compromising what is truly important to you.

Prioritization

Ah yes, an iStratus favorite: Prioritization. Organize your workspace planning by re-arranging “To-Do’s” that honor your values first.

Endless “To-Do’s” often make it more difficult to accomplish tasks. Thus, instead of bringing order to the chaos of life, it can actually lead to feeling the opposite, like you’re not accomplishing anything.

iStratus Recommends: 

• Prioritizing your “To-Do’s”, with your top two or three values. These could be anything. For example, improved fitness, creativity, or family time. Think about what matters to you most.

• Tasks responding to unimportant items in your inbox should be completed following time spent tackling projects that are hanging over your head. 

Balance

Honestly, ‘work-life balance’ feels like a myth. As stifling as mapping out your values might seem, it will bring a bit of balance to your life, no matter how hectic or crazy it becomes.

The iStratus Workspace aims to support the process of applying your values within your schedule. When your week is filled with multiple activities, we feel storing important items with reminders on your phone can help re-create a balanced to-do list that honors values, on all levels.

Authenticity

It’s easy to get bogged down, especially when it feels like others are succeeding, where you’re struggling.

In time, we must take action for completion. Even mundane tasks can be done with heart, when we commit to what we do.

In iStratus, simplicity is the only shortcut. You still need to stick with your goals and values in order to see what is working and what isn’t. We feel this is a good thing! When you practice looking at your own values for achieving your goals, you’ll be living with sincerity.

Happiness

Happiness comes back to making time for positive planning, prioritizing and holding yourself accountable. The ability to find balance and live authentically, all leads to a happier you.

Find the right fit. Spend some time using iStratus to kick-start your value-based goal setting today.

Like everything in life, there are two sides to the coin or plan. Pro’s and Con’s are key to revitalizing your workspace with iStratus:

Position The Positive

• Planning is a Guide for Action: Coordinated and focused actions work because they apply specific outcomes.

• Plans Facilitate Commitment: Planning reduces uncertainty. Clear expectations become a win for commitment, working towards goals and subsequent rewards.

• Plans Establish Performance Standards: Planning outlines desired outcomes as well as mileposts to define progress. Growth is always fundamental.

A Few Drawbacks – 

To planning that iStratus aims to reduce:

• Planning Prevents Action: “Death (figuratively) by planning” exists. Planning does little good if it doesn’t lead to functionality.

• Planning Leads to Complacency: Solid plans can lead to believing the ‘where to’ and ‘how to’ is concrete, causing lapses in progress. Remember, planning is not a one-time process. Continual implementation and modification arei critical.

• Plans Inhibit Creativity/Flexibility: If something isn’t working, scrap it from the folder. Success comes from innovation and organization, however, it shouldn’t inhibit you from applying creativity or intuitiveness.

Progress is rarely made through random activity. Plans are not objectives, but a means to an objective. The iStratus App is designed to help you make headway.

When you revitalize your workspace ‘balance’ with a whole new modality for the future, it’s got to be a good thing.

“AN IDEA ISN’T WORTH THAT MUCH. IT’S THE EXECUTION OF THE IDEA THAT HAS VALUE. IF YOU CAN’T CONVINCE ONE OTHER PERSON THAT THIS IS SOMETHING TO DEVOTE YOUR LIFE TO, THEN IT’S NOT WORTH IT.”

~ JOEL SPOLSKY

Live life and roll well with iStratus.

What is your favorite ritual?

We all have a way of finding peace in our lives. Now, that’s not about connecting to one’s secret inner hippy, with all that light and love stuff.

Simply put, the busier, the crazier the world becomes around us, the more grounded we need to feel. Finding that sense of calm throughout the crazy, makes all the difference.

Who knows how life is going to turn out? Being organized is one approach that provides us with a sense of stability in this uncertain world. With iStratus we have the ability to be prepared and stay that way.

So… How Can We Keep Calm Throughout The Crazy?

WOULD YOU DARE TO APPLY THAT FAVORITE RITUAL, TO YOUR AGENDA?

The iStratus Organizer is here to help. Designed to keep you on track, with the multitude of tasks we’re expected to juggle –To Keep Calm Throughout the Crazy, finding that balance in your life.

With its multifaceted interface, you can easily and efficiently use the iStratus Organizer to:

• Notate a clear “To Do” List, in order of priority, with a click of a button.

• Generate reminders to send follow-up emails.

• Effortlessly set multiple alarms to navigate schedules that always have you on the go. Whether it’s supporting your kids with multiple activities, or staying atop that crazy college schedule, iStratus has you covered.

• Create seamless shopping lists for the household meal plan, which does not have to be complicated. Keeping it light, and easy.

• Quickly coordinate appointments you need to attend for yourself. The process is as simple as you can get.

Leaving a little time for that favorite ritual. Yes, you should!

5 Benefits of Being Organized:

Remember, balance is always key. Thus, there are simultaneously 5 beneficial elements of being organized with iStratus for creating calm:

STRESS RELIEF

Experts suggest an endless list of “things to do” constantly invading your headspace is a major source of stress on the tipping scale of life. It may seem obvious (but not necessarily easy) that becoming organized lessens that pesky weight upon our shoulders.

Bustle.com says, one of the most productive things that can be done is simply tracking your day.

Anyone can take three hours to complete a task, largely because of the task itself or because of the interruptions allowed.

SIMPLE ADJUSTMENTS TO YOUR LIFESTYLE AND TIMING USING ISTRATUS CAN HELP REDUCE THE “STRESSORS” IN YOUR LIFE.

DE-CLUTTER, SLEEP BETTER

Clutter creates chaos. Even if you don’t realize it, clutter in your bedroom can result in the loss of Zzzzzzzz’s. Furthermore, if you are disorganized you may unintentionally become a night owl, staying awake later to do something last minute, or worrying about everything that needs to be addressed.

Use iStratus to de-clutter, schedule that time, and stick to it. Organize the clutter in your life to lessen that endless ‘chaotic craziness’ invading your precious dreams to sleep longer and deeper at night.

A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE

When you’ve planned out your meals, you’re less likely to forget to eat,  avoiding hunger pangs, which flows through to impulsive consumption. You’re also more inclined to find motivation for physical fitness if you plan time on the schedule for it. Increase those necessary endorphins for better health. Who’s up for a triathlon?

ESSENTIAL ‘ME TIME’

We’ve finally arrived at that favorite ritual, we’ve mentioned! Perhaps it’s PB on toast or a warm cup of Tea? (Sometimes, the simplest things mean the most). We frequently leave ourselves until last! You can put yourself on your own agenda when you actually make time for it!

It’s difficult to be at your best for anyone else – family, friends, colleagues – if you’re running on fumes. Bustle.com advises, it doesn’t matter what you do – it matters that you do it.

Try the iStratus App for prioritizing time to do something you enjoy. Coffee anyone?

“Create the kind of climate in your organization [processes] where personal growth is expected, recognized and rewarded.”

 ~ Author Unknown

BE MORE PRODUCTIVE PROFESSIONALLY

Let’s be honest, disorganization is un-motivating. Along with clearing out the clutter in your home life, it also gives you the energy to focus on what’s required during office hours. If you’re feeling tired by four walls, try taking a few minutes to organize your iCalendar or filing your emails.

Did you know that iStratus easily allows you to file photographic evidence with paperwork for an appointment or task? Once it’s where it belongs, you won’t be yelling at your phone, whilst searching inboxes for the information you require at the Doctor’s Office.

A little effort goes a long way. Spending a few minutes each day getting organized makes a difference towards being healthier, happier, and calmer throughout the crazy!

Live life and roll well with iStratus.