I know how it is.  You can probably scratch out 2006 and write 2007 on the top of your resolutions list.  The list has not diminished.  Disappointed with yourself?  Time to stop beating yourself up and take a closer look at your expectations.  How can you accomplish more and feel better about what you’ve done?

Start with one item that feels most important to you instead of a whole long list.  One feels like not enough?  OK, you have my permission to make another resolution once you’ve achieved the first.

If you’ve promised yourself you’re going to get organized, ask yourself where and how.  Choose one task like recylcing the newspapers each week or clearing the desktop before the end of each day.  Break it down into manageable tasks or behaviors that you can maintain.

Finally, the results may not come quickly enough for you.  Change is not easy, and it’s a process.  Hang in there, and celebrate what you are doing.

Well, like I’ve said many times, there’s always a reason for clutter.  And no one is immune.  Your organizer gave herself the Columbus Day holiday weekend off.  I left the office Friday for lunch and did not return until Tuesday.
I had a great time. 

CRASH!  Back to reality this week and a pile of stuff to do.  I have to tell you this morning I actually felt OVERWHELMED.

You see?  No one escapes.   I whined for a while and then sat down at the desk.  I asked myself, "If there was only one thing I absolutely had to do today, what would it be?"  Of course, I had 17 things in my head not one.  But I stood firm.  "OK", I said, "The one thing I must do is prepare for the class I’m teaching tonight." 

Well, sometimes it’s so difficult to just get down to it and do what I have to do.  I knew what to do.  It actually only took about 45 minutes, but sometimes there’s tremendous anxiety that comes up from having to focus.  There was such temptation to get lost in my e-mail.  Plus, you know, click on this offer and check out that headline. 

It’s the anxiety that makes us want to flit from one thing to another.  But here’s the secret.  Keep your eye on the prize.  Just do one thing at a time and finish it.  I’m ready and I don’t have to think about the class any longer, today. Not only that, having finished one thing, I’ve gone on to finish several more things.  It’s the momentum thing.  But it’s also the butt in the chair thing.  Sometimes we have to just do it…keep our butt in the chair.

Hooray for me!

I bought my gently used Camry just shy of a year ago.  I’ve been sooo happy.  She came from a reputable dealer, was checked out by my own trusted mechanic and is indeed, a smooth ride.  I came to find out, however, that I missed an important detail in looking her over before purchasing. 

Well, Tuesday evening, I ambled out to the driveway, headed for a client appointment, only to find the rear tire on the passenger side, flat as a pancake.  The AAA guy came in record time, took one look at the flat and pointed to the large screw lodged there (now how does that happen?)  He opened the trunk took one look at the spare and said, "Oh look, a matched pair."  There was a large screw in the spare and it was also flat, flat, flat.  The purchasing process passed before my eyes.  I had opened the trunk, found it to be spotless, just like the interior, but I hadn’t checked the spare tire.

So what’s the lesson?  Well, we can’t drive around without a spare tire in good condition.  It should be on the list when buying a car.  I know we all have many more important things to think about, but at least once a year we should have our spare checked.  A good time might be during a maintenance check, or getting the snow tires put on.

What happened to me?  I had to reschedule the client appoinment.  The AAA guy was able to fill the tire with air.  I drove to town and got the flat fixed.  I had to buy a new spare as that was unfixable.  Ouch!  But you know, it can always be worse….

Generally speaking, I don’t mind grocery shopping.  It can be kind of a mindless, timeless kind of thing.  But sometimes it can be really crowded in the store, or I can be in a big hurry or honestly, not really in the mood.

The best way to zip throught the shopping is with a good list of what I need.  We keep a pad on the fridge and jot down the items as we run out of them. 

Then, on shopping day, I take that list and organize it on a new page.  I always start with produce ’cause that’s where I enter the store.  Then I go up and down the aisles in my head and write down the items in the order they would appear in the store.

I go through the store and cross off the items as I put them in the cart.  It keeps me focused on what I need and helps me get in and out of the store in the most efficient way.

When I meet someone for the first time, or someone introduces me, I usually hear a giggle and something Iike, "That’s me, I need to get organized, big time!" 

It’s then followed by, "Well, I really am organized, but you should see my desk!"  I might ask, "So which is it, are you organized or not?"  But I don’t.  I just smile politely.  Truth is, everyone is organized, it’s just a matter of degree.  Everyone has a different standard and level of function.

Just thinking that you need to be more organized is too broad.  If you’re feeling frustrated or overwhelmed with everything you have to do or with all that’s slowing you down in a day, I suggest you ask yourself, "What slows me down during my day?"  Or, how do get better at finding things in my office?"  Or, "What do I need to finish this project?"  Or some other, specific question to identify where the trouble is.

You have to ask the right question to begin to identify the problem.  You can’t always solve it right away, but it’s a start.

Well, having had 5 planned days off from working plus 3 days sick with a cold, I must tell you it’s hard to get back to the routine.  I didn’t even want to think about all I need to do to catch up.

I lay in bed this morning, my eyes still pasted shut, rattling off a huge list in my head of calls and e-mails and projects.  Wow, that sure made me want to jump out of bed and get going…NOT!

First thing I did was write it all down.  Not in any order.  Just got it on the paper.  Then I looked it over, wrote it in my notebook that I keep on my desk, in categories; all the phone calls together, e-mails together, errands, other projects. 

Now I can pick out what to do by it’s importance and cross it off as I do it.  I may not be able to make all the calls at the same time because it’s too early to call the hairdresser for an appointment but I can leave a message for my client who asked a question but said she won’t be home…Anyway, it’s all on paper and not in my head.

Sometimes, I need to start with the little things that are fast and no brainers.  When stuck and overwhelmed and not feeling like doing anything, it’s best to just do something.  Go where there’s flow.  At least you’re going. 

Oh yes,
I know, I know people expect that because I organize people for a living that I’m totally clutter free.  Well, I’d hate for you to see my desk right now.  I’m having a case of piles.  Like I always say, there’s always a reason.  It doesn’t just happen.  I’ve been sick with a bad summer cold for 6 days.  I had to cancel my whole week’s worth of appointments and stay in bed for a good part of the time. 

I did check my e-mail and phone messages every day.  I also did some writing and work on my new blog site.  But frankly, the cast aside client files, the mail and e-mail I printed out is lurking about.  I simply did not want to deal with it.

I always smile knowingly when people tell me they know just what’s in their piles.  Often when we go through the papers they inevitably discover something they had been looking for.  I did sort my stuff before I dropped it, so the bills are with bills, stuff to be filed on one end of the desk and ‘to do’s’ all together.  And I do know when I will tidy up;
on Tuesday afternoon when I have a few hours to be in my office.  It shouldn’t take too long……