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Category: Intentional Living

Finding clarity in retirement: How the Rule of 3 can help

We often turn to the Rule of 3 when feeling overwhelmed by endless to-do lists or unsure about what to focus on next.

This simple yet powerful approach brings clarity and structure to your day, helping you direct your limited attention, time, and energy intentionally and efficiently.

The Rule of 3 is straightforward: it’s about prioritisation, focus, and action.

How to Use the Rule of 3 with the ADA Framework

You can apply the Rule of 3 by following these three simple steps, which I call the ADA Framework:

Step 1: A – Gain Awareness

Start your morning with five quiet minutes.

    • Take a moment to reflect: What do I want to accomplish today? What are my top priorities?
    • This is your opportunity to pause, lean back, and set your intentions for the day.

Step 2: D – Make Decisions

Next, make two crucial decisions:

    • Choose your top 3 priorities. Write them down—just three things. This forces you to focus on what truly matters.
    • Pick your No. 1 priority. From the three, choose the one task or goal that deserves your immediate attention.

Step 3: A – Take Action

Start working on your No. 1 priority while setting the other two aside. Focus solely on this task until it’s completed.

    • Once done, move on to the next item on your list.
    • Repeat the process until all three tasks are complete.

This method ensures you work with intention and avoid the trap of multitasking or distraction.

Broader Applications of the Rule of 3

The Rule of 3 isn’t just for managing daily tasks—it’s a versatile tool that can simplify any area of your life. Here are some ways you can use it:

Weekly, Monthly, or Yearly Goals:

    • What are three things you want to accomplish this week? This month? This year?

Relationship Improvement:

    • What three actions can you take to strengthen your relationship with someone?
      (Write them down, pick one to start with, and take action.)

Morning Routine:

    • What three habits or activities do you want to incorporate into your mornings?
      (Choose one to focus on first.)

Decluttering Your Home:

    • What three areas of your home need decluttering?
      (Write them down, pick one area, and start decluttering.)

Improving Your Health:

    • What three steps could improve your physical or mental well-being?
      (Decide on the three most effective changes, focus on one, and start implementing it.)

A Practical Way to Regain Control

The Rule of 3 is especially valuable when you feel stuck or overwhelmed. By narrowing your focus to just three priorities—and starting with one—you can regain control and make meaningful progress.

Ready to Try It?

Experiment with the Rule of 3 for a few days to organise your tasks and experience its benefits firsthand.

Or, apply it to a specific life area that currently feels confusing or frustrating.

Whenever you feel stuck, ask yourself:
“How could the Rule of 3 help me gain clarity and get moving?”

If you have any questions or want to discuss the planning, organisation, or management of your retirement life –

LET’S TALK.

You can easily book a free Zoom Meeting with me HERE.

5 reasons to spend more time planning your retirement than planning your next vacation

Picture this: you’ve just spent hours, maybe even weeks, researching the perfect destination for your next vacation. You know the best places to stay, eat, and explore, and you’re ready to make the most of your precious time off.

Now, imagine if you dedicated that same energy and excitement to planning for one of the most significant chapters of your life: your retirement.

Many people think of retirement planning primarily in terms of financial security.

And while finances are very important, a successful retirement goes beyond saving and investing. Just as you would plan for a memorable vacation by choosing locations, events, and activities that match your interests, retirement planning should be about intentionally designing all areas of your life, not just the finances.

5 reasons why retirement planning deserves (and needs!) more of your time, attention, and energy than your next vacation:

#1 – Retirement is a major life change, and careful planning can ease the transition.

A vacation changes your daily life just for a few weeks. The retirement transition changes the rest of your life.

It requires adjustments to your identity, purpose, relationships, and daily life structure. Taking the time to plan for these changes helps you manage them successfully.

#2 – Intentionally planning your retirement puts you in the driver’s seat.

Just like planning a successful vacation relies on managing all the details, achieving a fulfilling retirement requires you to take control of the important aspects of your life.

To be in command of your future, you need a solid plan.

#3 – Your retirement planning will greatly affect your future lifestyle and well-being.

Like selecting vacation activities that keep you happy and engaged, a well-planned retirement can impact your overall well-being and mental health.

Thoughtful planning for your future lifestyle enables you to honour your values, passions, and interests, allowing you to create and live the life you desire.

#4 – Creating a new life structure in retirement requires time and a clear plan for preparation.

Even on a vacation, you usually need some days to adapt to the changed flow of your days. When you enter retirement, the loss of the daily rhythm of work can cause confusion and a lack of direction and focus.

By planning your retirement thoughtfully, you can create a life structure (identity, purpose, connections) that keeps you engaged and excited about each day.

#5 – Planning involves envisioning your future, and you deserve a clear vision for your retirement.

Just as you envision the joy and relaxation of a vacation, give yourself the gift of envisioning your ideal retirement.

Take time to dream, brainstorm, and design the next chapter of your life so you can look forward to it with excitement.

Take some time to sit down and plan your ideal retirement future – you’ll thank yourself later.

If you have any questions or want to talk about the planning, organisation, or management of your retirement life –

LET’S TALK.

You can easily book a free Zoom Meeting with me HERE.

Start Your Retirement Journey by Decluttering Your Closet in 7 simple steps

Entering retirement is one of life’s biggest transitions.

After years of working, managing responsibilities, and keeping a structured routine, the shift into this new chapter can feel overwhelming. It’s not just about adjusting your daily schedule—it’s about redefining your identity, your purpose, and the way you live your life.

One of the hardest parts of this transition is letting go of the past.

We naturally hold onto belongings, routines, and even mindsets that served us well in our working lives. These things all served us well, but they can weigh us down as we step into retirement.

That’s where practical decluttering projects come in.

By letting go of physical items tied to your past, you not only create physical space in your home but also mental clarity and emotional freedom.

One powerful place to start is with your work-related clothes.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Decluttering Your Work Clothes

You can follow this simple step-by-step process in one day.

However, if you take the time to do it over a few days, you will get more insights from it.

Step 1: Take Inventory

    • Start by removing all your work-related clothes from the wardrobe – suits, shirts, blazers, dresses, shoes, etc.
    • Lay everything out where you can see it and sort your clothes into categories (e.g., all shirts in one pile, all jackets in another).
    • Write down how many items you have in each category.
    • While sorting, take a moment to write down any thoughts or emotions that come up. Do you (still) feel attached to these clothes? Do they (still) feel like parts of your identity?

Step 2: Assess Future Needs

    • Review the list you made. 
    • Ask yourself how many items from each category you realistically need to keep for future occasions. This could be for personal events, volunteering, or other post-retirement activities.
    • Write down your chosen numbers for each category – how many suits, shirts, or pairs of shoes do you want to keep? 

Step 3: Pick Your Favorites

    • Now, sort through the piles/categories again and pick only the favourite pieces that fit your chosen numbers. These should be clothes you feel confident about keeping.
    • Gather them all together in one area of your wardrobe.
    • Notice how you feel as you select these pieces. Do they still feel relevant to who you are now? Do they align with the person you want to be in retirement? Do you look forward to wearing them again? How do you feel about keeping these clothes and giving the rest away?

Step 4: Let Go

    • Take all the clothes and shoes you’ve decided not to keep and place them in donation bags or boxes. Put these in your car, ready to be donated to a charity or someone who could use them.
    • Observe how it feels to remove these items from your home physically. (You’re not just clearing space – you’re releasing old versions of yourself that no longer serve your future!)
    • How do you feel about letting go of these clothes? Are you excited, nostalgic, or maybe a bit relieved?

Step 5: Organise What’s Left

    • Now that your wardrobe is pared down, take out the items you’ve chosen to keep.
    • Clean the wardrobe, put your clothes on nice hangers, and arrange them neatly.
    • This is a symbolic act of creating space for your new life. Enjoy the process of organising your wardrobe with fewer, carefully selected pieces.
    • How do you feel seeing your simplified, organised wardrobe? Does it give you a sense of clarity and calm?

Step 6: Drop Off Your Donations

    • Drive the bags of clothes to a charity shop or donation centre. Completing this step reinforces your commitment to moving forward.
    • The act of giving away your work clothes can be both a letting-go process and an act of generosity, helping others who need these items.
    • How does it feel to finally say goodbye to your old work clothes? What does this symbolise for your new stage of life?

Step 7: Celebrate

    • Take a moment to celebrate. Whether you share a photo of your now clutterfree wardrobe with friends or treat yourself to something special, acknowledge the work you’ve done.
    • This exercise is about more than decluttering—it’s about creating space for the future.
    • Reflect on the whole process. What have you learned about yourself? What new opportunities or possibilities do you feel are now open to you?

Final Thoughts:

Decluttering your work clothes is just one step, but it’s an important one.

Letting go of items tied to your old identity creates room for a new version of yourself. Every piece of clothing you release is a symbolic gesture, showing you are ready to embrace your new life in retirement.

Remember, decluttering doesn’t have to be done all at once. Take your time, reflect as you go, and appreciate the mental and emotional space you’re creating for your future.

Ready to start your decluttering journey?

Don’t focus too much on the goal. The desired outcome is more important.

What is the desired outcome behind your goal?

If you want to get/create what you want to have in your life, don’t focus too much on your goals; pay more intentional attention to the desired outcomes.

Don’t try to design an action plan directly after you’ve chosen a new goal.

First, find out what the reason behind your goal is – the desired outcome.

Because it’s the desired outcome and not the goal that will help you keep motivation and determination levels high while you are working on reaching your goal.

Doing the work is much easier if you are fully aware of the desired outcome.

Usually, the desired outcome is a feeling.

You find it by asking, ‘Why?’ Again and again.

Ask yourself why the goal is important to you. Or why it is a problem if everything stays as it currently is. And then question your answer with another ‘why’. And so on.

Tip: Do it in writing.

It’s difficult to get deep down the ‘why’ spiral and find the desired outcome if you try to do it in your head.

Have a look at this example to see what I mean:

Example:

My goal: I want my home office to be clutterfree and organised.

To reach this goal, I must take action and do some work: I need to get everything out, get it sorted, then declutter what I no longer need, and finally organise what I want to keep more efficiently.

I want to do the work as soon as possible and add it to my projects list.

But I don’t feel very excited about it. It’s a lot of work, and I don’t know how to start and proceed.

I decide to find out why I actually came up with this goal.

I want to find the desired outcome behind my goal – the more profound and significant reason.

So, I ask myself lots of ‘Why’-questions. And answer them.

    • Why do you want to declutter and reorganise your office? – Because I want it to be clutterfree and organised.
    • Why is it essential to make the office clutterfree and organised? – The room looks so full and overcrowded.
    • Why is that a problem? – Because it makes me feel nervous and pressured.
    • Why is it important not to feel nervous and pressured? – If I feel nervous/pressured, I can’t focus my attention.
    • Why is it important that you can focus your attention? – I need that to work effectively.
    • Why is it important to work effectively? – I want to be productive and create results.
    • Why do you want to be productive and create results? – Because that makes me feel satisfied with myself.
    • Why is it important to feel satisfied with yourself? – It makes it easier to enjoy myself and my life.
    • Why is it important to enjoy yourself and your life? – That’s one of my three life goals. It’s super important to me.

Now, my formerly isolated goal fits nicely into the big picture of my life goals!

The desired outcome – to enjoy myself and my life – is much more attractive and motivating than the goal ‘Clutterfree and organised office’.

Now, there is a clear intention behind the goal, and I like the purpose – it’s very important and valuable to me.

Now I can ask: How would my office look if it was easily enjoyable? What needs to change in my office so that I can easily enjoy myself? And my life?

Answering these questions – which are directly linked to my desired outcome – makes it so much easier to decide what I need to do, and why, and how. And to get started. And get going.

What about you?

Do you have a goal that feels reasonable and necessary – but not attractive and exciting?

Give it a try – move it through a series of ‘Why’ questions and see what you can discover about the desired outcome. And how that knowledge can help you get active and take the first steps toward your goal (and the desired outcome behind the goal).

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Take the first step in retirement planning by reflecting on these key topics

Entering ‘the 4th quarter of our life’ is a big move into unknown terrain.

That’s why I love learning about theories, strategies, and tools that can help us transition into retirement successfully.

And, yes, many external resources (books, blogs, podcasts, YouTube videos, etc.) are available that offer information and advice for a smooth transition into retirement.

However, I suggest you start preparing for the next phase of your life with some internal research before you search for external ideas and recommendations.

Kickstart your retirement journey by reflecting on crucial questions.

Questions like these:

    • Your Identity: Who are you right now? What are the essential parts of your current identity? – Which of these parts will you take along into your retirement? What do you need/want to change about the person you are right now? What are the essential parts of your new identity?
    • Your Purpose: What are your current values, beliefs, and the things you stand and fight for? – What are the topics, goals, passions and interests you want to focus on in future? How do you want to (re-)define the meaning of (your) life?
    • Your Relationships: What does your social network look like just now? Who are the important people in your life? What do you appreciate in your relationships, and what frustrates you? – Who will naturally drop out of your contact list? Who do you want to add? Which relationships do you want to change or intensify?

What else could YOU ask yourself to move forward intentionally?

Intentional Living: What do you want to care about? And what do you not want to care about?

Intentional Living in Retirement: Choosing What Truly Matters

The transition into retirement offers a unique opportunity to redefine our values and priorities.

We can decide who we want to be in this new stage of our life, how we want to show up, and where to focus our care and attention.

There’s no shortage of things that might draw our concern. We notice countless areas in ourselves, our lives, and the world around us that we’d like to improve, change, or act on.

However, we must recognize our limits. Our time, energy, and resources are finite, and attempting to care about everything can lead to disappointment, exhaustion, and even burnout.

Instead, retirement offers a chance to thoughtfully limit what we care about, focusing on what aligns most with our values and goals.

Consider this question: What am I no longer willing to care about?

This simple exercise and a real-life example will guide you in redefining your priorities.

#1 – Make a list of all areas of your life.

Example:   Relationships, work, home, fitness and health, finances, personal interests and hobbies, etc.

#2 – Choose the area you want to focus on right now.

Example:   My relationships.

#3 – Pick the one segment of your focus area you care about most.

Example:   My relationship with my mother.

#4 – List all the things you care about regarding that thing.

Example:   What I care about regarding my relationship with my mother:

    • a) She says she is feeling lonely. Should I visit her more often?
    • b) I wish she had a closer relationship with Aunt Mary.
    • c) I am worried about her health. I think she should eat healthier and drink more water.
    • d) I wonder what she is thinking about our recently bought house.
    • e) She is always so impatient with the waiters when I take her out for lunch.
    • f) She wants me to call her daily, which stresses me out.

#5 – Go through your list again. Can you discover specific patterns? Categories of things you care about?

Example:   It seems I am thinking a lot about what she might think of me and what she expects of me. And I am worried about her well-being, and in some regards, I am quite judgmental of her.

#6 – Deliberately choose the things you no longer want to care about.

Example:   I am no longer willing to care about what she thinks of me (d, f). I am no longer willing to care about what (I thought) she should or shouldn’t do. (b, e)

#7 – Cross these things out on your list. Promise yourself to cross them out in your mind, too.

Example:

    • a) She says she is feeling lonely. Should I visit her more often?
    • b)  wish she had a closer relationship with Aunt Mary.
    • c) I am worried about her health. I think she should eat healthier and drink more water.
    • d) I wonder what she is thinking about our recently bought house.
    • e) She is always so impatient with the waiters when I take her out for dinner.
    • f) She wants me to call her daily, which stresses me out.

#8 – Now, look at what remains on your list. These are the things you want to care about. How do you want to do that?

Are you taking care of them in the best possible way already? Is there any room for improvement? Write down what you want to change.

Example:

    • a) I care about her well-being. And although I know that I’m not able to take away her feelings of loneliness, I decide now to visit her twice instead of once each week.
    • c) I accept that I can’t make her eat healthier or drink more. However, I’ll ensure she always has healthy snacks and enough water in her kitchen.

#9 – Finally, based on the decisions made in #8, plan the next action step. And take it.

Example:

    • I will visit my mother tomorrow, and I will bring her some healthy snacks.
    • Whenever I notice that I drift back to my old caring habits, I will remind myself of the only two things I want to care about in my relationship with my mother.

Downsizing: Start your preparation by knocking your ‘Clutter Champions’ off their pedestals

Downsizing to a smaller place is impossible without rigorously ‘downsizing’ your furniture and belongings.

The best—and probably easiest—way to start preparing for your downsizing project is to identify and tackle your ‘clutter champions’.

What Are Clutter Champions?

Clutter champions are the areas and belongings that accumulate over time, serving no real purpose and cluttering your space.

They are the items and areas in your home that:

    • Are ignored and unused
    • Get hidden away (under the bed, in a garage corner)
    • Collect dust or rust

Examples of Clutter Champions

    • Overcrowded spaces like a garage with no room for the car
    • Unused furniture, such as an inherited armchair
    • Books you no longer read or recipe books you never open
    • Piles of untouched papers
    • Old school or work materials
    • Kitchen appliances that don’t match your current habits
    • Dressers filled with out-of-fashion clothes
    • Wardrobes full of clothes that don’t fit or are rarely worn
    • Unused 24-piece cutlery sets from long-ago weddings
    • Etc. 
    • (Can you think of one of your Clutter Champions right away?)

Clutter champions occupy space and weigh us down mentally. They remind us of unfinished tasks and make us feel guilty for not dealing with them.

And, of course, –

Clutter champions don’t deserve a space in your new home!

You must confront your clutter champions and move them out of your home – before you move out.

Action Plan to Defeat Your Clutter Champions

Step 1: Identify Your Clutter Champions

Walk through your home: Open every door and look around each room.

Ask yourself:

    • Are there any clutter champions here?
    • What’s here that doesn’t serve me anymore?
    • What have I not used for ages?
    • What makes me feel ashamed or frustrated?

Be thorough: Look under beds, into cupboards, drawers, and bags. Take photos if that helps to get a clearer picture.

Step 2: List Your Clutter Champions

Create a comprehensive list of all your clutter champions.

Your list might look something like this:

    • Bookshelves in the guest room
    • Storage unit
    • Garden tools in the shed
    • Boxes with Aunt Angie’s dishes in the attic
    • Box with paperwork inherited from Grandpa
    • Lucy’s artwork (under the bed in the guest room)

Step 3: Reflect on Your Clutter Champions

Spend some time understanding each item:

    • What’s the story behind this item?
    • Why did I keep it after it lost its usefulness?
    • How do I feel about having it?
    • How would I feel if it were gone?
    • Am I ready to let it go? Now?

Step 4: Make a Decision

Choose one clutter champion to start with:

‘This is the clutter champion I will clear up first: ……’

Step 5: Take Action

Estimate the time needed: Determine how long it will take to tackle your first clutter champion.

Schedule decluttering sessions: Mark them in your calendar and commit to them.

Do the work: Follow through and create space by letting go of what no longer serves you.

Celebrate the wins: Appreciate and enjoy the space and peace of mind you gained.

By eliminating your clutter champions, you’ll create more physical space and free up mental space.

You will feel more capable and ready to tackle other areas of your home and categories of belongings that need some ‘downsizing’ before you move.

Start tackling your clutter champions today – and transform the beginning of your downsizing project into a positive, empowering experience!

Another important downsizing task:

Your Radical Paperwork Optimisation Project.

The goal is to reduce the physical and digital paperwork you have accumulated over the years by 50% and organise the remaining 50% efficiently and simply. 

The Optimised Paperwork Newsletter will teach you all you need to know about the Radical Paperwork Optimisation approach. 

Join the Optimised paperwork newsletter here

Downsizing – 9 Questions to make the move easier.

Why can it be so hard to get a house ready for downsizing?

There are many reasons – these three are the most relevant for most people:

1. – Downsizing is a major life change.

When we decide to downsize, we are not just changing our physical location.

We are also leaving behind a larger home that holds memories of our past and present lives. The smaller space we move into will initially be unfamiliar – and it will shape our future.

Downsizing is, in essence, a significant life transition.

Continue reading Downsizing – 9 Questions to make the move easier.

Your top priorities make it easier to plan and organise your life intentionally.

Living intentionally means that you deliberately decide how you want to live – and what you want to do to create the life you want.

It means that you don’t let life just happen to you and purely react to its circumstances and challenges.

Instead, you actively define what’s important to you and how you want to experience and live your life.

You are well aware of your priorities and proactively make changes that move you toward the life you want to live.

Your priorities give your life direction and guidance.

Planning your life with intention doesn’t have to be an intimidating or overwhelming exercise.

If you regularly check and update your priorities, you are well prepared to act and react confidently when faced with bigger or smaller decisions in everyday life.

Your priorities also direct and guide you when you must manage a significant life challenge:

    • A planned transition like entering retirement, becoming an empty nester, downsizing,
    • or an unexpected event like divorce, the loss of a job, a critical illness, or the death of a loved one.

How do you choose your priorities – and direct your life in the way you want it to go?

Continue reading Your top priorities make it easier to plan and organise your life intentionally.

Living intentionally means that we carefully pay attention to where we put our attention.

Our lives and our experience of life reflect where we spend most of our attention.

The thoughts that we paid the most attention to in the past, the ones we thought most frequently, are the thoughts that have created our current results.

The thoughts we pay most attention to today, those we are thinking most frequently right now, will create our future results.

Our attention is our most powerful resource. And we can intentionally make good use of this resource. We have the power to control where we place our attention.

However, the amount of attention available to us is limited.

At any given moment, we can pay attention to only one thing. Just one.

That’s why it is so important to intentionally decide where we want to put our attention.

Continue reading Living intentionally means that we carefully pay attention to where we put our attention.

Two powerful decluttering questions

Do you plan to do some decluttering work – and feel stuck?

If you don’t feel motivated to get your stuff sorted out and to let go of any clutter, or if you feel motivated but feel unable to decide what’s actually clutter and what’s not,

I suggest you answer two questions – although it might feel a bit uncomfortable.

Ask yourself:

    • Who will most probably (have to) clear up my belongings after my death?
    • And what do I want them to think about my stuff – and about me?

Yes, I know, most of us don’t like to think about our mortality.

That’s why we actively avoid thinking about what is going to happen with our personal stuff and who will have to take care of it when we pass away.

Answering the questions can bring clarity and make decluttering decisions easier.

Continue reading Two powerful decluttering questions

Living Intentionally – Short Introduction – Part 3

In Part 1 of this short introduction series, we defined what living intentionally means, in a broader and in a more narrow way.

In Part 2, we listed some typical life situations to get a clearer idea of what intentional living might look like in real life.

Today, I want to briefly discuss a simple framework that helps us create a more intentional life.

Living intentionally – How do we get there?

No matter what the specific intention behind a client’s decluttering or organising project is, we always use my simple 3-step process – the ‘ADA Framework’ – to realise the desired outcomes successfully.

The ADA Framework

These are the steps that my clients practice and implement to actively take control and create the life they want to live: 

Continue reading Living Intentionally – Short Introduction – Part 3