Feeling stuck? Overwhelmed? Like you have too much to do and too little time?
Hi there! I’m Karen, I'm a productivity coach and truly believe that planning can be the key to living a happier life. There's no 'one-size-fits-all' solution though, so I work with clients to find whatever strategies work best for them and to provide support along the way.
As well as one-to-one sessions, I also run an online 'Planning Club'. This is a supportive space that gives you time to reflect & plan, helping you feel calmer and more in control of everything that's going on. There are weekly sessions on Friday afternoons, Sunday evenings and Monday mornings, as well as monthly sessions and FREE seasonal sessions - click here for details of all the upcoming dates and/or join the mailing list here.
I do some more general organising work too - whether that's unpacking after a move, assistance with paperwork or help with decluttering. I also have experience with move management and downsizing as I've worked with The Senior Move Partnership since 2022.
I love belonging to the APDO community of professional organisers and I help to run the APDO Productivity & Sustainability groups, as well as being part of the training team. I've also written several blogs for APDO that might be of interest (see links below).
Whatever organisational challenge(s) you're facing, please get in touch and I’d love to see if I can help...
APDO Blogs
* Planning for the new year: https://www.apdo.co.uk/resource/blog-241223-planning-for-the-new-year.html
* Could GTD® (‘Getting Things Done’) Work For You?: https://www.apdo.co.uk/resource/blog-011226-getting-things-done.html
* Developing more sustainable habits: https://www.apdo.co.uk/resource/blog-240319-developing-more-sustainable-habits.html
* Looking after ourselves in a sustainable way: https://www.apdo.co.uk/resource/blog-240321-looking-after-myself.html
Specialisms
ADHD
I have experience working with clients with ADHD and have also completed the 'ADHD for Organisers' course with Sarah Bickers. I appreciate that having ADHD or ADHD traits can bring specific challenges, especially with time management and organisation – and that systems which work for others might not always be successful (this is totally understandable and just means that it's not the right system or might need tweaking). My approach is always to support clients with exploring how they work best and finding whatever solutions will work for them in the long-term.
Planning Club also provides a way to get some regular lower-cost support that is impactful too - it offers a flexible guided space to explore how planning can work for you and can be especially helpful for anyone who is neurodivergent (a recent attendee said “I identify as being neurodiverse and this system really is a life-changer for me! I really appreciate the sessions and am already seeing the benefits in terms of how I feel about planning and in my ability to undertake regular micro-actions”)
Personal/family productivity
I really love thinking about productivity – but it's probably not a word that we associate so much with our personal/family lives. For me though, it isn't about 'efficiency' - I see it as a way for us all to get the most out of life, i.e. making sure that we have enough time for the things that we WANT to do, as well as feeling that we're keeping on top of life admin and other necessary tasks. Exactly what that means and what methods might work will be different for everyone – but I love exploring this with clients to work out how planning/systems can help to make their lives happier.
This is also why I started Planning Club - I know that life can feel a bit overwhelming with everything that we're juggling, so this provides a regular chance to just press pause and catch up with ourselves a bit. It's a lower-cost option than one-to-one sessions and offers a supportive space for anyone who has a lot going on. This is some of the feedback that I've had: "I would highly recommend this to anyone who feels they could benefit from more structure, wants to feel more on top of things and wants to be more intentional about how they use their time" and "I am most definitely living a more balanced lifestyle now where I am a better friend, relative and colleague because of the regular planning time"
Business/work productivity
Working for over 20 years as a PA/other organising roles in a variety of businesses has given me lots of experience around maximising productivity in the workplace – but I'm also a 'productivity geek' in my spare time and really love reading books/articles, listening to podcasts/talks and experimenting with various planning systems. Some people might see productivity & planning as boring, but personally I see it as a key way for us all to get the most out of life! I'm also part of the organising committee for the APDO Productivity Special Interest Group and really enjoy speaking to fellow organisers about all the ways that we can help our clients feel more productive and happier with their lives.
Planning Club is also especially useful for anyone who is self-employed to have a regular check-in time to deal with admin tasks and planning, as well as thinking about longer-term aims. There are sessions on Monday mornings and Friday afternoons to help you either start or end your work-week feeling calmer, as well as monthly sessions which include an optional 'power hour' to get through any once-a-month admin. This was a comment from a regular attendee "Planning Club is just what I need as a busy solopreneur, wife, carer and professional procrastinator. I feel more in charge and less overwhelmed – I get more done, more quickly and still have time for me"
Life Coaching
I have completed several short coaching courses, including a Coaching Skills Foundation course with Barefoot Coaching. I will soon begin working towards a fully accredited coaching qualification.
"The sessions really helped me during a particularly overwhelming time, introducing me to tools/strategies to manage my time & priorities - as well as an open space for me to sound things out" (Laura)
"These sessions have already helped me to make positive changes to my life. I feel more content and happy with areas that felt direction-less. I would recommend Karen in a heartbeat" (Kieren)
"I found your objective standpoint the most beneficial. You also offered resources and suggested techniques/strategies for time management & reflection which I will continue to find useful" (Hayley)