雙語故事:真正值得付出的投資

【英文原文】

We invest our time, energy and money on buying and acquiring things while futilely trying to achieve the life we want. I can assure you that you gain more return on your investment when you switch your focus from buying stuff to being organized. Here are just a few examples:

ROI: Self-confidence.
Put an end to the apologies you make for being late, forgotten commitments, and lost or misplaced information or belongings.
Investment: Time management basics
Stop over-scheduling. We often try to fit in “just one more thing” before moving on to our next commitment. We end up running late, frazzled, overwhelmed, and distracted. STOP and THINK, how long will it really take to get there or prepare for that meeting? Are you being realistic about traffic? Parking? Etc. Honestly, the worst thing that can happen is that you will be early. The horror! Bring a magazine or book and catch up on your pile of reading. Yes, you know, I’m talking about that “I’m gonna read it someday” stuff that has taken over your horizontal surfaces.

ROI: Quality Time with loved ones
Stop spending your “free time” maintaining, cleaning, storing, battling through, and tripping over your stuff.
Investment: Letting go
Let go of the stuff that you don’t love and don’t use that gets in the way of stuff that is important — which isn’t really stuff at all, is it?

ROI: $$
Investment: Clear your Kitchen
Unclutter your kitchen, rid your cabinets of idle appliances and gadgets, toss the excess plastic storage with no matching lids, and clear your counters of unused spice racks and unitaskers. Instead, create a functioning kitchen where you have room to breathe and the ability to access what you need. Involve the family (including children) in the cooking experience. Not only will you save money by not eating out as often, but you will be teaching your children a lifeskill.

Small investments in being organized will provide you with a huge payoff. If you are having difficulty getting started, check out the NAPO Professional Organizer Directory to find an organizer that’s right for you.

What are some small investments that you have made and what is the ROI?

【中文譯文】

我們常常在一些事情上投入時間、精力、金錢，但最終卻沒能得到想要的回報。我可以保證如果你將注意力從買東西轉到規劃自己上，你可以得到更好的投資回報，下面是僅僅是幾個例子:

投資回報：自信

你不再需要爲遲到、忘記承諾、丟三那四而道歉

所需投資：基本的時間管理

避免過度安排進度，我們常常糾結於那麼一件事而無法向下一個目標進發，最終以延遲、疲憊不堪、不知所措、心煩意亂而結束。好，那麼停下來想一想，我們趕到那兒或準備那個會議實際上需要多少時間？你是否實際瞭解交通狀況？停車的情況？...坦誠的說，這樣在你身上能發生的最壞的事情就是你提前了。你可以拿本書或雜誌放在你的書桌前，然後說到“我將來有一天會去讀它的”，直到它們佔滿了你的書桌。

投資回報：和愛人在一起的甜蜜時光

不要再將你的“空閒時光”用在保養、清洗、儲藏、大掃除等這些瑣事上

所需投資：讓它們隨它去吧

讓那些你不喜歡且用不着的東東隨它去吧

投資回報：$$

所需投資：打掃你的廚房

打掃你的廚房，清理你的櫥櫃，扔掉不用的東東，扔掉那些已經找不到蓋子的塑料罐，將那些沒用到的的調味品罐清洗乾淨。將你的廚房改變成一個你可以盡情呼吸又能做一些你想要的東西的地方，將你的家人（包括孩子）一起喊過來享受做飯的樂趣，這不僅能幫你省下大把的在外面下館子的費用，還能教會你孩子一項生存技能

在規劃自己上的一些不大的投資能幫你帶來不小的回報，如果你感到開始很困難，可以在NAPO專業規劃目錄中找到適合你的方案

親愛的讀者，你又是已經做了哪些小投資呢？投資回報又如何呢？