By Mary Lynne Murray
Reprinted from Contra Costa Times, January 17, 2004
IT'S NOT A secret that "getting organized" is a popular
New Year's resolution. But what has happened to your resolve to
get organized in the foggy weeks of January? Will it be any easier
in the short little month of February? If you made a goal to get
organized this year, my mission is to encourage you to stay the
course.
To stop dilly-dallying, make peace with the "P" word:
procrastination. The human condition is to delay doing today what
can be done tomorrow. We procrastinate for one main reason: to
avoid pain and unpleasantness. We recognize that making order
of the towering stacks in the garage will be difficult, that clearing
the desk may require hefty blocks of time, and that something
will have to go if we want to see the floor of our clothes closet.
To help you procrastinate less and reach your goals:
If
you write it down, it makes your desire real. Writing can be a
powerful act of commitment. Put it where you are sure to see it.
A simple statement of purpose and conviction said out loud can
make an inroad of accountability. Just close the door and no one
will laugh; in fact the organizing gods may smile on you. For
the ultimate accountability, tell your mother.
Starting
is saying yes to your resolution. This is usually the hardest
part, but the good news is that action builds momentum. There
is no one right place to begin. The right place to start is the
place you decide to jump in. We've all tried inching our way into
the water, and that didn't change the temperature. Jump in even
if it's uncomfortable at first.
"What
saves a man is to take a step. Then another step." -- Antoine
de Saint-Exupery
Organizing is a process that isn't accomplished in one day. Even
grown ups benefit from taking baby steps. What seems insurmountable
becomes manageable when it's broken into small steps. The customary
steps to organize any space are sort, weed/purge, containerize
and maintain.
Use time
to break down tasks as well. Set a timer, set a deadline, set
a fixed time to work on your goal each day or week. A banker who
commutes on BART says this about how he beats procrastination:
"The train ride gives me a window of time to read something
I've been putting off. Then when I get to my office, I'm ready
to make follow-up calls or whatever next step is needed."
Sometimes
it's as simple as not knowing how to do it. Barter with someone
who is good at something you struggle with; collaborate, and accomplish
more with two minds/four hands working together; delegate. At
the very least, get moral support by sharing your goals with another.
Someone
said, "If you have to swallow a frog, do it first thing in
the morning." The idea is to tackle a difficult project when
you are fresh. Or, try the opposite: Do the easy first. Quick
projects may provide the gratification that spurs you to tackle
the harder project. Send me an e-mail about which approach works
best for you.
If you
haven't pictured the benefits to getting organized, you may see
only high hurdles. Get a picture of what it is you hope to gain:
a kitchen where you can actually make a meal, less chaos in the
family room, a garage you can park in, a home you like to come
home to.
Put
aside excuses, those mutterings that begin with "but,"
and live with less regret and more creative energy. Practice doing
something instead of obsessing about what you think you should
be doing. You have good intentions; make them a reality this year.
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