By Peg Donahue

Look around your office and scan your business. What does it look like and how does it feel? Are you using everything? If you don't use something, do you keep it around because you really love it?

If you have things around that you don't use or you don't love, you can boost your business by clearing the excess. You might be thinking, "I'd like to, but I don't have time." Actually, you don't have time not to. The more clutter you keep around, the harder you have to work. So, clearing and reenergizing your space is a fabulous way to work less and prosper more.

In her book, Organizing From the Inside Out, Julie Morgenstern states that
-   Americans waste 9 million hours/day searching for misplaced items
-   US Executives lose 6 weeks/year (1 hour/day) searching for information on messy desks and files
-   Purchases related to disorganization cost 15-20% of your annual budget (duplicates, premium prices, finances)

Think about it. An hour a day could give you time to spend doing something you love, be with your family, exercise, take a class or whatever you choose. Fifteen to 20% of your budget could be the difference between losing money and breaking even or breaking even and making a profit. Your time and profits are tied up in the stuff that surrounds you.

If you would like to work less and prosper more, clear clutter from your workspace regularly. Your desk is a great place to start. Take everything off the top of it. Wash it down and then selectively put back the items that you are using and those give you pleasure. Put everything else away. Do this weekly. It's fine to spread your work out each day and open your creative channels. Periodically though, you and your business will benefit by consolidating everything and beginning with a clear slate. Open space brings opportunity with it ... opportunity to grow your business.

What do you see when you first walk into your business or your office? Is the message positive and uplifting? Perhaps it is soothing and claming. Does it reinforce why you are in business? If not, your perspective could be clouded or blocked. Consider changing your view. The message you receive when you first walk in sets the tone.

What do you have on your walls? Do you love the colors and images? Do they represent where you are or where you are headed, or do they represent where you've been? Do they make you feel great? If not, update them.

How about the areas that are hidden away ...either behind doors or in a back room somewhere? Perhaps you even pay for storage elsewhere. What are you storing and why? Is it useful to you? If not, let it go. What you can't see does matter.

Often we hold onto things out of fear. We are afraid that we don't have enough or that we will need "it" someday. Fear locks us in place. When we hold onto things we don't need, we feed feelings of scarcity and lack. As a result, scarcity and lack are mirrored back to us. It's a basic law of energy. Here's another approach: trust that everything you need comes to you when you need it. You might purchase it, someone might hand it to you, a new client comes in, it might be a new idea, whatever. Try it. Trust the process.

I continually hear from people about how liberating it is to remove things from your space (and therefore your life) that you don't love or you don't use. Doing so helps to shift your energy and your focus. It frees you up from things that may bogging you down. It also creates some open space -- which is great for clarity and simply allowing new things and new opportunities to take shape.

When clearing clutter, I recommend that you begin with the easy things. Toss out your trash. Next set aside things that you don't care for, that someone else might be able to use. Then begin to tackle the harder things-- items that you don't use or love that may begin to surface memories. These things will take longer. If you clear things out in layers, the process gets easier.

Clearing clutter is very liberating. It helps to free your spirit from the clutches of your possessions. You'll lighten your load, uplift your emotions and put yourself and your business on a path towards positive change. Once you start, get ready for new possibilities to come your way. Prepare yourself for wonderful changes.

For more information on how you can work less and prosper more check out our telecourse, Eight Keys to the Ultimately Prosperous Business, starting Feb 8th. For details go to:
polarisbusinessguides.com/classes/8keys05.htm.

Peg Donahue is a Polaris Business Guide, a certified Feng Shui Practitioner and certified Prosperity Coach. In addition to coaching people on transformational issues, Peg facilitates Emotional Freedom and Healing sessions, helps create supportive environments and teaches, writes and speaks regularly on topics that enable people to manifest what they want in life. For more information, contact Peg at peg@polarisbusinessguides.com or call her toll-free at 1-877-524-8300 x411.