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May 2005
You’re driving in a large, unfamiliar city. Suddenly, horns
are honking and you realize you’re about to have a head-on
collision. You’re driving the wrong way on a one-way street!
What now? Do you continue to travel the wrong way, or do you turn
around? Of course you turn around, to find a better way, to reach
your destination.
When it comes to organizing our homes and workspaces, sometimes
we don’t act on the turn around; we continue heading for
that collision. Yet, if we desire a different result—more
productive places in which to live and work—we must take
action and change our direction. In the novel The Secret Life
of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd, a central character notes that “The
whole problem with people is…they know what matters, but
they don’t choose it.”
One of the Good Things that happens when you
get organized is that you get closer to what’s important,
what matters. With the help of a professional organizer, you unearth
your dreams out from under the clutter.
Clutter begins inside the mind; then manifests itself in our lives,
and finally takes hold in spaces in which we live and work. Simply
put, Clutter is postponed decisions™.
Where should I start?
Let’s keep it simple: What do you see every time as you
enter your space? For one woman, it was her dining room. Whenever
she walked in the house, the cluttered oak table and crowded room
stared her down. Her posture would droop as she faced the wall
of clutter that was draining her life’s energy. So begin
your organizing process at the spot you face as you come and go
from your home or office. First impressions count--not just other
people’s first impressions, but your first impression, as
you step into your domain. Choose to give yourself a lift by focused
action.
Life after April 15
Was tax-time torturous? Gathering receipts and records months
after the fact is much, much harder than keeping them up as you
go. It doesn’t have to be this way.
In 1985 Jay and I participated in an outdoor education program
that involved hiking and rock climbing in the Sierra National
Forest. One of the life lessons that I took home from that week
was "keep up rather than catch up". Mentally, it was
easier to keep moving, albeit slowly, instead of coming to a complete
stop, getting farther and farther behind. The results were better
as I maintained a steady pace, not allowing inertia to derail
me.
Even small changes can have profound effects and make your life
easier. For example, if you use a file system that works (such
as The Paper Tiger), you’re able to lay your hands on the
information you need, when you need it. The April 15th deadline
will still come and go, but you can face it with ease because
you’ve been hiking with your system--you’ve been keeping
up, at a steady pace, throughout the year. Sprinting is for the
finish line; what most people need on a daily basis is a marathon
approach.
Toll free phone number
Now you can call It’s About Time toll free @ 877-933-9737.
We wanted to make it easy and painless for you to ask questions,
order products, and provide phone consultations. For those located
within the San Francisco Bay Area, we remain ready for your calls
@ 925-933-9737.
New on the website
Would you like to find out just how organized you are? In March
we added a quiz, The Productive Environment Scorecard™,
to the website. You can download it at www.marylynnemurray.com
by clicking on Take Our Organizing Quiz. Get a free phone consultation
to discuss your results. It’s all about you! Good things
happen when you’re organized™.
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