MEET ANDREW MELLEN From directing actors on stage to directing people in their lives , Andrew Mellen just might be the organizational world ’ s best-kept secret . If you ’ re familiar with Mellen , it may be from his presentations at TEDx and SXSW , or as the bestselling author of Unstuff Your Life !: The Most Organized Man in America ’ s Guide to Moving and Calling BS on Busy . Mellen ’ s client roster overflows with significant names — American Express , the New York Mets , the Metropolitan Museum of Arts and Goldman Sachs are a few — and he attributes his success to his straightforward and fun approach . Mellen insists that being organized is something anyone can learn and not an innate ability . This simple reframing empowers his clients to wake up and take responsibility for the behaviors , habits and actions causing their disorganization . Clients and audiences never feel judged as he gently ( albeit assertively ) holds up a mirror to show them where they ’ re stuck — then enthusiastically encourages them toward simpler , richer spaces , experiences and lives .

Pulse : As a Knowledge Builder presenter at the 2024 ISPA Conference , you will address the ISPA membership about organizing our professional lives . Share a little about what that means . Andrew Mellen : Calling BS on “ busy ”— sharing strategies and best practices to maximize efficiency and productivity without becoming a robot or soulless automaton . We ’ ll dive deep into time management and the “ 8 Deadly Time Thieves ”— interruptions , overcommitting , poor planning , multitasking , email , meetings , social media and procrastination .

Pulse : ISPA is asking members to “ Dream Big !” during the 2024 Conference . How does that idea tie in to your work with business leaders ? AM : I ’ ve always resonated with the idea that the difference between a dream and a goal is a deadline . So it ’ s great to dream big — it may be even better to make those dreams a reality .

Pulse : Could you share a success story about time management ? AM : A client took one of my suggestions about email and implemented it at his company . The next month , their sales were up by 30 percent and that pattern continued for the next three months , breaking all sales records for the business to date .

Pulse : What are a few takeaway messages from your Knowledge Builder session ? AM : Participants in my presentation will learn how to : l Break free from procrastination l Manage workflow interruptions effectively l Strategically answer emails and unclog your inbox fast l Quickly pivot from “ story ” and focusing on the problem to solving problems sustainably l Leverage your values to make high-impact decisions taking massive action every day l Say goodbye to distractions and manage time wasters like social media

28 PULSE n MARCH 2024