Take Control Organizing

We all procrastinate!

We wait until the last minute to do anything, no matter how large or small the task.  Procrastination can come from doing a daily household task like loading the dishwasher… Have you ever waited so long to unload the dishwasher that by the time you did it, you had to immediately run it again. Or waited to put a report together and found yourself up all night just to get it turned in on time!

Some people work well under pressure, but for most of us it causes a lot of stress and anxiety.  Stress that could technically be prevented if we had just done what we needed to do, when we needed to do it!

If you find yourself in this situation and you know you are procrastinating….

• Do your least favorite task first and then follow it up with a more desirable task.  Better yet, set up a reward system!  This is a great way to motivate yourself. You will be more likely to do the task if you know something good will be waiting for you!  Maybe it’s a 15 minute break to call a friend or if it’s a big project, treat yourself to your favorite coffee.

• Think Small!  Sometimes what stops us from starting a project is we are looking at the project as a whole.  To organize your garage in a weekend is overwhelming, however just cleaning one shelf isn’t so bad.  Break your big projects down into smaller ones, it really makes a difference!

• Sometimes once you start a project you can gain enough momentum to keep going.  The point is to start.  Set a timer and work on a project for 15 minutes.  Pretty soon 15 minutes a day adds up and you just made substantial progress.  You want to keep moving forward and every little bit counts!

Happy Organizing!

Definition of Organization:  TCO defines being organized as being able to find what you need, when you need it.

Notice, there is nothing said about baskets or organizing bins!  Being organized is about function.  Organization effects how you live in your home, how productive you are at work and well you manage your time. It effects your quality of life, but nowhere does it say it has to be perfect.

Trying to live  up to perfection is going to be a trap for you.  It will hold you back from success.  Especially if organization does not come easy to you in the first place, like so many of my ADD clients, this is a constant battle.

So instead of striving for perfection, strive for getting organized enough….

• Practice new tools and organizing techniques- Try something new and give yourself some time to see if it works.  Sometimes we give up too soon.  Sometimes being late because you lost your keys only one day a week is better than being late everyday. If a strategy does not work, then don’t be afraid to try a new one.

• Stay positive – If today didn’t work out so well, don’t worry, you always have tomorrow!

• Make organizing easy – Organize the way you think.  It doesn’t have to make sense to anyone else but you. Don’t make your systems too complicated otherwise you won’t use them.  Follow your natural habits. If you are a piler, pile your papers, just do it in a way that you know what’s in the pile. Prioritize them and make it work for you.

• Set up reminders – This is very important to the ADDers, place notes to remind you what you need to do, set alarms on your phone, do what you need to do to follow through.

Getting organized is a process.  By getting organized enough, you have decreased your stress and anxiety and increased your control of your space and time!

Happy Organizing!