The end of January is already past, and since I was out of town, I did not do my normal evaluation of my progress. Perhaps it is for the best, since I've spent most of these months simply explaining how I've not made much progress and then setting goals for myself for the next month.
Not much different this time, I think.
I am less than two months until my birthday and all I've managed to prove with this year is that habits are really hard to break. Having been one type of person for 41 years, I am having difficulty being a different kind of person for my 42nd year. I wanted to improve some of my flaws, particularly the procrastinating and disorganized part, and find a career/life for myself which I could be happy with, but I continue to be unemployed, messy/disorganized, and procrastinating.
It is very discouraging to find that good intentions are harder to turn into good, consistent action. I am excellent at planning to change. The problem, for me, is always in the execution.
In the same way, I am excellent at planning novels, but the actual job of writing them seems to be much harder to maintain.
Even things I really want to do (my novels, my 41 Things To Do list, etc.) are pushed off. I have started so many projects over the past few months but can point to hardly anything I've finished.
All I can do is hope that my increasing frustration with myself and the upcoming deadline will force me to get myself into gear and get some things done.
Showing posts with label organizing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label organizing. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Monday, January 17, 2011
Disorganization Strikes Again
Disorganization has caused problems in my life in two major ways recently.
First, last night I broke my small toe. It happened because of the clutter in the living room. Something was out of place and I ran my foot into it in the dark. It hurts quite a bit today.
The second problem involves a project I have been working on. I've been behind on it as of last week and caused my boss on the project to be worried. She is now trying to figure out ways to keep better track of my progress. She should not need to do that because I should have had better progress. Instead, I've been fiddling around and wasting time, and not getting things done when I thought I would.
These are not the only times that my disorganization has caused me problems. What frustrates me is that I am worried it may not be the last time.
I need to learn from mistakes and improve.
First, last night I broke my small toe. It happened because of the clutter in the living room. Something was out of place and I ran my foot into it in the dark. It hurts quite a bit today.
The second problem involves a project I have been working on. I've been behind on it as of last week and caused my boss on the project to be worried. She is now trying to figure out ways to keep better track of my progress. She should not need to do that because I should have had better progress. Instead, I've been fiddling around and wasting time, and not getting things done when I thought I would.
These are not the only times that my disorganization has caused me problems. What frustrates me is that I am worried it may not be the last time.
I need to learn from mistakes and improve.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Avoidance Mentality
I've noticed that I can be very good at avoiding work I don't want to do. It doesn't matter that what I am avoiding might only take a few minutes and that I've been needlessly delaying for hours, making myself unhappy over something that could be over and done with, but I can still find a way to delay doing the work.
I'm not the only one. My husband is excellent about delaying things he finds embarrassing or uncomfortable. In our old house we had a large desk in our office which we didn't actually use. We mostly stored things in it. I discovered that my husband would stash things he didn't want to deal with under the desk, where he could find them later but wouldn't have to see them until then.
I took to calling avoidance putting things "under the big desk" and I'm afraid that I am pretty good at it.
Right now I have some work to do. It isn't that it is difficult or that unpleasant, but it isn't exciting and I've delayed it just long enough that I now feel guilty about it. That guilt is not something I like to face, so I delay some more. This, inevitably, leads to more guilt and so I'm in a loop of nonwork which is ridiculous when I examine it but, oh so easy to fall into when I don't examine it.
Examination is probably the key here. Silly excuses and petty delays are harder to keep going in the cold objective light of examination. The problem is that those of us who are good at putting things under the big desk, don't generally like to drag things out into the light of day.
It is for that reason that I keep this blog. To force myself to see what I am doing--sabotaging myself and my progress. I could finish my work and enjoy my internet surfing in peace or I can poke at the internet as guilt festers and more work builds up, making me forced to put in a long day of catch up fueled anxiety.
If you are good at avoiding what you know you should be doing, drag the reasons out into the light of day. They seldom hold up when examined. Then, like me, you can simply do the work--and feel better afterwards, wondering why you put it off in the first place.
I'm not the only one. My husband is excellent about delaying things he finds embarrassing or uncomfortable. In our old house we had a large desk in our office which we didn't actually use. We mostly stored things in it. I discovered that my husband would stash things he didn't want to deal with under the desk, where he could find them later but wouldn't have to see them until then.
I took to calling avoidance putting things "under the big desk" and I'm afraid that I am pretty good at it.
Right now I have some work to do. It isn't that it is difficult or that unpleasant, but it isn't exciting and I've delayed it just long enough that I now feel guilty about it. That guilt is not something I like to face, so I delay some more. This, inevitably, leads to more guilt and so I'm in a loop of nonwork which is ridiculous when I examine it but, oh so easy to fall into when I don't examine it.
Examination is probably the key here. Silly excuses and petty delays are harder to keep going in the cold objective light of examination. The problem is that those of us who are good at putting things under the big desk, don't generally like to drag things out into the light of day.
It is for that reason that I keep this blog. To force myself to see what I am doing--sabotaging myself and my progress. I could finish my work and enjoy my internet surfing in peace or I can poke at the internet as guilt festers and more work builds up, making me forced to put in a long day of catch up fueled anxiety.
If you are good at avoiding what you know you should be doing, drag the reasons out into the light of day. They seldom hold up when examined. Then, like me, you can simply do the work--and feel better afterwards, wondering why you put it off in the first place.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Clean House but Cluttered Mind?
I've been working on organizing and cleaning my house for most of this year. My paperwork has been disorganized and I have too many possessions for the room we have--making for crowded rooms and messy areas.
As I've been trying to get Christmas decorations out, I've been cleaning and organizing the house. My kitchen and office are still a bit messy but the main rooms are starting to look pretty nice, which is a big relief.
However, I've also been finding that I don't feel that much more organized. You see, I'm still cluttered in my mind. I don't have clear processes to keep my areas clean. I don't have established habits to put things away immediately instead of "waiting" and "coming back later."
I am behind in my work and have a long to do list. It is not just physical clutter which causes problems in our lives. I'm finding that out. Instead it may be that my physical clutter is a symptom of a larger problem--a need to get my mind more in order, and the processes I use to get my work done.
As I've been trying to get Christmas decorations out, I've been cleaning and organizing the house. My kitchen and office are still a bit messy but the main rooms are starting to look pretty nice, which is a big relief.
However, I've also been finding that I don't feel that much more organized. You see, I'm still cluttered in my mind. I don't have clear processes to keep my areas clean. I don't have established habits to put things away immediately instead of "waiting" and "coming back later."
I am behind in my work and have a long to do list. It is not just physical clutter which causes problems in our lives. I'm finding that out. Instead it may be that my physical clutter is a symptom of a larger problem--a need to get my mind more in order, and the processes I use to get my work done.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Little Things: How Disorganization Affects the Details Which Make a Difference
I've been rather disorganized the past few months. I was in the middle of a reorganizing session, hit a bad patch with depression (I guess that is the best way to describe it but basically I got done with an enormous project and was burned out, exhausted, and unhappy), and let things get out of hand. I'm just now getting back out from under the mess.
Here's one lesson I've learned from this disorganization--it leads to lots of small mistakes and problems which make things much worse in the long term.
In the past few weeks I've discovered that:
1. My calendar had a note on a particular evening that I had a "6:30 mtg" but no further information. I noticed this the day before the notation and spent the next 30 hours trying to figure out what meeting I was supposed to go to and never discovering it. I have no idea what thing I was supposed to do that night.
2. I put some wrong info on a flyer for one of my groups. I didn't catch an error in a telephone number until it had already gone out to many people (of course, neither did the three other people in my group who approved the flyer before it went out, but it is ultimately my responsibility). I got the info wrong because I copied it from an old flyer they gave me which had the number wrong--but I was too disorganized to bother to track down the other info they had given me to verify my facts.
3. I couldn't find some supplies when I needed them for a project, which kept me from being able to do something I wanted.
4. I misplaced a bill and didn't find it till the day it was due. I don't want to have late bills!
5. I filled out an EDD form incorrectly and now have to wait for a replacement unemployment check after I caught the error and notified them. This delays money I need to cover my bills.
These are 5 ways that being disorganized made my life more difficult. Luckily things are looking better around here. I still have some stacks of papers to go through and a few areas to clear off, but it is much better.
Each of these problems was small--no life shattering errors--but these little things all caused me problems with extra work, time wasted looking for things, and possibly affecting my credit and reputation. These are not small effects. I've heard the phrase "The Devil is in the details" and "God is in the details." Either way, disorganization often causes these details to be messed up, and then there is hell to pay.
Here's one lesson I've learned from this disorganization--it leads to lots of small mistakes and problems which make things much worse in the long term.
In the past few weeks I've discovered that:
1. My calendar had a note on a particular evening that I had a "6:30 mtg" but no further information. I noticed this the day before the notation and spent the next 30 hours trying to figure out what meeting I was supposed to go to and never discovering it. I have no idea what thing I was supposed to do that night.
2. I put some wrong info on a flyer for one of my groups. I didn't catch an error in a telephone number until it had already gone out to many people (of course, neither did the three other people in my group who approved the flyer before it went out, but it is ultimately my responsibility). I got the info wrong because I copied it from an old flyer they gave me which had the number wrong--but I was too disorganized to bother to track down the other info they had given me to verify my facts.
3. I couldn't find some supplies when I needed them for a project, which kept me from being able to do something I wanted.
4. I misplaced a bill and didn't find it till the day it was due. I don't want to have late bills!
5. I filled out an EDD form incorrectly and now have to wait for a replacement unemployment check after I caught the error and notified them. This delays money I need to cover my bills.
These are 5 ways that being disorganized made my life more difficult. Luckily things are looking better around here. I still have some stacks of papers to go through and a few areas to clear off, but it is much better.
Each of these problems was small--no life shattering errors--but these little things all caused me problems with extra work, time wasted looking for things, and possibly affecting my credit and reputation. These are not small effects. I've heard the phrase "The Devil is in the details" and "God is in the details." Either way, disorganization often causes these details to be messed up, and then there is hell to pay.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Accomplishing a Lot – but Never Enough?
Have you ever felt like you got a lot done but still felt like you should have done better because you have so much you still need to do? I've been feeling that way a lot lately. I have been working hard on an event and getting caught up on a number of projects. I've gotten a lot done. Still, I look around at all that still needs to be done and I'm not satisfied.
I'm sure this is a common problem. It seems that many of us find it difficult to be happy with our accomplishments. There is always a way we could have been better, tried harder, done more, or whatever it is that comes to our mind. Sometimes it is true, but even if it is, we often gloss over our accomplishments to focus on what could have been.
This may be the bias our mind has for remembering the negative. There are studies that show that people tend to remember the negative more. If you give someone 5 compliments and one criticism, the criticism is the one that will stick in the mind more. In the same way, bad experiences can linger, overwhelming good ones. I know that one trip I took with my husband is like this. Although I know I had a lot of good times, there were some rough patches (our airline caused a lot of hassle and stress and my husband didn't handle it very well, which stressed me). When looking back though, I mostly remember the overall negative feeling about that vacation, which is a shame because I'd been looking forward to that trip for 10 years.
In the same way, I have been feeling like I'm not getting anything done--while accomplishing lots of stuff. While it is important for people to see that there are still things to be done (and ways to improve), it shouldn't be done at the expense of recognizing the victories as well. We need to be careful that the negative doesn't begin to overshadow our perceptions and make things seem worse than they are.
For that reason, I'm trying to pay attention to all the things I do right this week--the goals I accomplish, the projects I finish, the progress I make. I can acknowledge all the things that still need to be done or the ways I could be better, but I am working on also celebrating all that is right too.
I'm sure this is a common problem. It seems that many of us find it difficult to be happy with our accomplishments. There is always a way we could have been better, tried harder, done more, or whatever it is that comes to our mind. Sometimes it is true, but even if it is, we often gloss over our accomplishments to focus on what could have been.
This may be the bias our mind has for remembering the negative. There are studies that show that people tend to remember the negative more. If you give someone 5 compliments and one criticism, the criticism is the one that will stick in the mind more. In the same way, bad experiences can linger, overwhelming good ones. I know that one trip I took with my husband is like this. Although I know I had a lot of good times, there were some rough patches (our airline caused a lot of hassle and stress and my husband didn't handle it very well, which stressed me). When looking back though, I mostly remember the overall negative feeling about that vacation, which is a shame because I'd been looking forward to that trip for 10 years.
In the same way, I have been feeling like I'm not getting anything done--while accomplishing lots of stuff. While it is important for people to see that there are still things to be done (and ways to improve), it shouldn't be done at the expense of recognizing the victories as well. We need to be careful that the negative doesn't begin to overshadow our perceptions and make things seem worse than they are.
For that reason, I'm trying to pay attention to all the things I do right this week--the goals I accomplish, the projects I finish, the progress I make. I can acknowledge all the things that still need to be done or the ways I could be better, but I am working on also celebrating all that is right too.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Just One Change Can Make a Difference
Sometimes making small changes can make a big difference for the world.
Last year I told my husband that although I was happy that we recycled paper (with a container in our kitchen to gather newspapers and other paper products to take out to our blue can), and we gathered glass and aluminum cans on the patio (to take to a recycling place for cash), I felt like we should do more.
We decided to add more things to recycling, particularly food cans (for cat food and our own food). These now go in the blue can to take out to the curb.
It's amazing the difference this has made to the amount of trash which goes out to the normal trash can. I didn't feel like we used that many cans, but apparently they add up. Now, however, they add up for recycling and not the landfill.
It was a small step which took only a little more effort on our part (rinsing the cans and putting them in the right container). That little extra effort, however, is making a difference in the world, I believe.
Each of us could take a small step today to improve things in the world. I started carrying shopping bags to the store early this year. I am sure I could do more, but each small step helps improve what I am doing.
In the same way, I've decided that in my own projects I may have tried to do too much all at once. With my recycling habits, I added one habit at a time and it was successful. I'm trying to step back on my other projects and see if adding one habit at a time will work for them as well.
My recycling and shopping bag habits have shown that just one small change at a time can make a big difference. I'm trying to apply that to the rest of my life now.
Last year I told my husband that although I was happy that we recycled paper (with a container in our kitchen to gather newspapers and other paper products to take out to our blue can), and we gathered glass and aluminum cans on the patio (to take to a recycling place for cash), I felt like we should do more.
We decided to add more things to recycling, particularly food cans (for cat food and our own food). These now go in the blue can to take out to the curb.
It's amazing the difference this has made to the amount of trash which goes out to the normal trash can. I didn't feel like we used that many cans, but apparently they add up. Now, however, they add up for recycling and not the landfill.
It was a small step which took only a little more effort on our part (rinsing the cans and putting them in the right container). That little extra effort, however, is making a difference in the world, I believe.
Each of us could take a small step today to improve things in the world. I started carrying shopping bags to the store early this year. I am sure I could do more, but each small step helps improve what I am doing.
In the same way, I've decided that in my own projects I may have tried to do too much all at once. With my recycling habits, I added one habit at a time and it was successful. I'm trying to step back on my other projects and see if adding one habit at a time will work for them as well.
My recycling and shopping bag habits have shown that just one small change at a time can make a big difference. I'm trying to apply that to the rest of my life now.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Avoidance: Another Sign That You Need Organization
I can always tell when I am in trouble. My email inbox is full. My computer desktop is filled with files. My laundry is stacked up. This will mean that I am also behind on many tasks, not organizing my bills, and avoiding work tasks. I am probably spending too much time reading things on the computer or gone on a fiction reading binge.
I've done it many times before. These are all symptoms of a larger problem--but they also are part of a vicious cycle that makes me feel even worse.
Today I've got to face it. I'm feeling stressed and overwhelmed again.
The worse sign for me is avoidance. I used to do this all the time during my dissertation writing time. I know I have work to do and will even make a to do list, but then sit there doing "one more thing" for the rest of the day. This can go on for days, if I let myself, with each day the guilt piling on even higher, which, of course, makes me want to avoid the task even more.
The most frustrating thing is that sometimes the task I am avoiding ends up only taking 10 minutes. It doesn't have to be a hard task or a long one for it to build up like this. It just has to be something I am dreading--for one reason or another.
Sometimes I dread things because I really don't have a clear sense of the steps to take. Sometimes it is a task I simply do not like to do. Other times it is just something that seems large or difficult or which I worry about failing in some way.
Whatever causes the hesitation, I struggle with getting started and then with following through.
This is exactly the problem I dislike in myself the most and which I set out to find a way to fix (as much as possible) for this self-improvement project.
While I've become better at being self aware and knowing I have a problem, I have not yet truly solved it.
In other words, I've gotten better at reporting the problem exists but not in moving forward and actually doing the things I want without delay. Annoying, but true.
I've done it many times before. These are all symptoms of a larger problem--but they also are part of a vicious cycle that makes me feel even worse.
Today I've got to face it. I'm feeling stressed and overwhelmed again.
The worse sign for me is avoidance. I used to do this all the time during my dissertation writing time. I know I have work to do and will even make a to do list, but then sit there doing "one more thing" for the rest of the day. This can go on for days, if I let myself, with each day the guilt piling on even higher, which, of course, makes me want to avoid the task even more.
The most frustrating thing is that sometimes the task I am avoiding ends up only taking 10 minutes. It doesn't have to be a hard task or a long one for it to build up like this. It just has to be something I am dreading--for one reason or another.
Sometimes I dread things because I really don't have a clear sense of the steps to take. Sometimes it is a task I simply do not like to do. Other times it is just something that seems large or difficult or which I worry about failing in some way.
Whatever causes the hesitation, I struggle with getting started and then with following through.
This is exactly the problem I dislike in myself the most and which I set out to find a way to fix (as much as possible) for this self-improvement project.
While I've become better at being self aware and knowing I have a problem, I have not yet truly solved it.
In other words, I've gotten better at reporting the problem exists but not in moving forward and actually doing the things I want without delay. Annoying, but true.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
6th Month Update: Out of Control Still?
It has been 6 months since my 41st birthday so I am halfway through my allotted time for this project.
In that time, I've written frequently about my desired changes and the difficulties in achieving them, but I feel like I've made little progress. Sometimes I feel like I've written more about them than I've done. Other times I remember all of the organizational work I did, the major events we worked on, and the small successes along the way. I'm not sure whether I am proud of myself or ashamed.
It's been a running theme in my blog, I find, to chastise myself for all I haven't been doing. I've spent the past two weeks planning on cleaning up the house, and instead it has gotten messier. I have allowed chores to pile up. I don't even have a good excuse for a lot of it, other than depression and stress (which are exactly the sort of thing I'm supposed to be working against with my projects).
Habits are a hard thing to change and I have a lot of bad habits. I'm addicted to being online, which is why writing in this blog is the one major success I've managed to be fairly consistent through this time. Since most of my other projects involved being offline, they've been spottier in execution. I'll go along fine for awhile but then a project will come up and I'll get busy, and the next thing I know I'm spending way too much time online and not using the time I have wisely.
I've gotten so bad, I've canceled my idea of having a monthly theme because I never seemed to do them. Instead I've been concentrating on one idea: Doing the Work. That's right, I'm not very successful about staying focused and actually finishing my work.
For next month, I will work on this even harder. I'm halfway through the year, and I would like to have more to show for it. Here's hoping that my journey will improve.
How about you? If you are on your own journey of self-improvement, what has been the most difficult and what tips do you have for solving these sorts of problems?
In that time, I've written frequently about my desired changes and the difficulties in achieving them, but I feel like I've made little progress. Sometimes I feel like I've written more about them than I've done. Other times I remember all of the organizational work I did, the major events we worked on, and the small successes along the way. I'm not sure whether I am proud of myself or ashamed.
It's been a running theme in my blog, I find, to chastise myself for all I haven't been doing. I've spent the past two weeks planning on cleaning up the house, and instead it has gotten messier. I have allowed chores to pile up. I don't even have a good excuse for a lot of it, other than depression and stress (which are exactly the sort of thing I'm supposed to be working against with my projects).
Habits are a hard thing to change and I have a lot of bad habits. I'm addicted to being online, which is why writing in this blog is the one major success I've managed to be fairly consistent through this time. Since most of my other projects involved being offline, they've been spottier in execution. I'll go along fine for awhile but then a project will come up and I'll get busy, and the next thing I know I'm spending way too much time online and not using the time I have wisely.
I've gotten so bad, I've canceled my idea of having a monthly theme because I never seemed to do them. Instead I've been concentrating on one idea: Doing the Work. That's right, I'm not very successful about staying focused and actually finishing my work.
For next month, I will work on this even harder. I'm halfway through the year, and I would like to have more to show for it. Here's hoping that my journey will improve.
How about you? If you are on your own journey of self-improvement, what has been the most difficult and what tips do you have for solving these sorts of problems?
Monday, September 20, 2010
State of Mind=State of House, Inbox, and Desktop
I've noticed something about myself. It might be true that correlation does not equal causation but it is an interesting correlation.
Whenever I am feeling particularly bad about myself (stressed, overwhelmed, behind in my work), I also have a messy house, messy email inbox, and messy computer desktop. If I can take care of these three things, life seems to be more under control.
I don't know that the messiness of these three items are causing my feelings or are a symptom. I do know that if I am feeling overwhelmed on a project, I'll leave items saved on my computer desktop instead of filing them away (because "I'm in a middle of a project and it will quicker this way"). I will also be getting a lot of emails and won't be sorting them or deleting them. I will also not have enough time to do house cleaning. So my feelings may cause the messiness but the messiness also adds to the feelings. I can't find things I need in my email box. I find my computer files to be unorganized. I can't find the paperwork I need for a project or forget to do something because I lost a note.
Either way, I think there are a few solutions:
1. I need to recognize the symptoms right away and take steps to remedy it. If my email or desktop is getting cluttered, I need to spend a little time straightening it out instead of goofing off on the internet. Same with house cleaning.
2. When I feel too rushed for time to do simple tasks, I need to recognize that I am only making things worse for myself. Often I do have the time, but I'm making excuses for myself (and being a bit lazy).
3. I have plans to fix things when I wake up each morning but then I get caught up in various projects and don't get to it (all of last week was like this) so I need to do more and think about it less. Instead of planning to straighten up, I should just designate an hour each morning and do it.
My state of mind is cluttered right now, I'd say. Certainly my house, inbox, and desktop are cluttered. The only way one is going to be free is if the others are.
Whenever I am feeling particularly bad about myself (stressed, overwhelmed, behind in my work), I also have a messy house, messy email inbox, and messy computer desktop. If I can take care of these three things, life seems to be more under control.
I don't know that the messiness of these three items are causing my feelings or are a symptom. I do know that if I am feeling overwhelmed on a project, I'll leave items saved on my computer desktop instead of filing them away (because "I'm in a middle of a project and it will quicker this way"). I will also be getting a lot of emails and won't be sorting them or deleting them. I will also not have enough time to do house cleaning. So my feelings may cause the messiness but the messiness also adds to the feelings. I can't find things I need in my email box. I find my computer files to be unorganized. I can't find the paperwork I need for a project or forget to do something because I lost a note.
Either way, I think there are a few solutions:
1. I need to recognize the symptoms right away and take steps to remedy it. If my email or desktop is getting cluttered, I need to spend a little time straightening it out instead of goofing off on the internet. Same with house cleaning.
2. When I feel too rushed for time to do simple tasks, I need to recognize that I am only making things worse for myself. Often I do have the time, but I'm making excuses for myself (and being a bit lazy).
3. I have plans to fix things when I wake up each morning but then I get caught up in various projects and don't get to it (all of last week was like this) so I need to do more and think about it less. Instead of planning to straighten up, I should just designate an hour each morning and do it.
My state of mind is cluttered right now, I'd say. Certainly my house, inbox, and desktop are cluttered. The only way one is going to be free is if the others are.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Falling Behind: The Cycle Begins Again
I'm falling behind in my work. That's right, my system is breaking down yet again. My house is messy, my inbox full, my to do list overflowing, and my stress level is high.
How did I get that way? I'm not really sure. This seems to happen in a cycle pretty often.
Here are some factors which tend to lead me back:
1. Something unexpected happens: This time it was our main computer. It died. The worst part of this is we didn't have our data properly backed up. I don't know how much we lost but it worries me. The hard drive has been replaced and we have the computer back but the data may be lost forever. (Everyone, back up your data now! You'll only regret data which isn't backed up!)
2. I get busy: I have spent the past few days working for one of my volunteer groups. I have taken on too much for them, I think, and it has become difficult to keep up.
3. I took a break: Because we had a very busy weekend volunteering, I took a break on Monday. This left me with too much to do on Tues and Wed and a messy house from the stuff we had out over the weekend which has not been put back. I tell myself that I deserve a break (like on Monday) but do I deserve the guilt I feel when I look around at this mess?
I think the reason why I keep coming back to this state of disorganization and stress is because I don't really have a clear system in place yet. I have been trying to establish a routine and some organization but it isn't there yet. I have been cleaning and organizing in order to establish the system but because there is no system, I have trouble finishing the organizing before things get out of control again.
I know that under this current layer of stuff, I have the beginnings of a more organized life but I don't want it to be under layers of stuff! I need to be able to maintain a more clutter-free existence. I also need to be able to handle the volunteering I have and still have time for job applications, novel writing, etc. Right now I don't feel like I have time for these things and that is not the way this is supposed to work.
I'm going to spend today trying to get caught up again and then Friday I'm going to work on my system. If I could get a good system of planning and organizing down and stick with it, maybe I could have better control over my life. That's what I've been working towards for all of these months. I hope that I am closer to it today.
How did I get that way? I'm not really sure. This seems to happen in a cycle pretty often.
Here are some factors which tend to lead me back:
1. Something unexpected happens: This time it was our main computer. It died. The worst part of this is we didn't have our data properly backed up. I don't know how much we lost but it worries me. The hard drive has been replaced and we have the computer back but the data may be lost forever. (Everyone, back up your data now! You'll only regret data which isn't backed up!)
2. I get busy: I have spent the past few days working for one of my volunteer groups. I have taken on too much for them, I think, and it has become difficult to keep up.
3. I took a break: Because we had a very busy weekend volunteering, I took a break on Monday. This left me with too much to do on Tues and Wed and a messy house from the stuff we had out over the weekend which has not been put back. I tell myself that I deserve a break (like on Monday) but do I deserve the guilt I feel when I look around at this mess?
I think the reason why I keep coming back to this state of disorganization and stress is because I don't really have a clear system in place yet. I have been trying to establish a routine and some organization but it isn't there yet. I have been cleaning and organizing in order to establish the system but because there is no system, I have trouble finishing the organizing before things get out of control again.
I know that under this current layer of stuff, I have the beginnings of a more organized life but I don't want it to be under layers of stuff! I need to be able to maintain a more clutter-free existence. I also need to be able to handle the volunteering I have and still have time for job applications, novel writing, etc. Right now I don't feel like I have time for these things and that is not the way this is supposed to work.
I'm going to spend today trying to get caught up again and then Friday I'm going to work on my system. If I could get a good system of planning and organizing down and stick with it, maybe I could have better control over my life. That's what I've been working towards for all of these months. I hope that I am closer to it today.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Donating Your Stuff: My Experiences with Organizing
I've spent the past year or so going through my closets and knickknacks to try to get rid of my excess stuff. This is particularly true during the last month when we've been going through all of our stuff, in the garage, boxes, closets, and drawers.
We generally sort things into three piles. There is the trash can full of stuff (or recycling since we have a lot of files which I am trying to purge). There is the sale pile. We try to sell things on eBay or other places (although we've had little luck with that in the past year or so as eBay as been an increasingly poor source for selling). The third and largest pile is donate.
Donation is a great way to get rid of still usable stuff (clothes, blankets, knickknacks, non-valuable books, etc.
I move the donation stacks out to a location out of the way--on a table on our enclosed patio this time. I then put the items in bags and make a list of things by categories. For instance, my current stack includes 5 sweaters, 15 tshirts, 3 jeans, 2 jackets, 1 blanket, 2 board games (1 unused), etc. I then decide where I am going to donate the stuff.
There are a lot of choices, from the typical Goodwill, Amvets, or other local charity thrift shop to specific charities which need actual items (children's hospitals or women's shelters sometimes want gently used toys or clothes or books). It is a great time to support a cause you care about. It can be more work, of course, to figure out that you want to support your local animal shelter, call them to find out if they want your blankets and towels (they often do), and then get the stuff to them. On the other hand, it can be very rewarding to know that your unwanted items are helping a cause you care about in your community.
When you donate your stuff, be sure to record what you donated. If they offer you a receipt, take it. Remember that it can be useful come tax time. I have a folder for receipts for taxes and that's where mine goes.
There are websites where you can value your stuff for tax purposes. Remember that you can't charge the same as a new price. Some tax programs will have a "value this" feature that will help you set a fair price for the items. Make sure you kept enough info on your list to figure out the pricing.
Take a look at:
http://www.sdgoodwill.org/donation_values.shtml
http://www.irs.gov/publications/p561/ar02.html#d0e545
We generally sort things into three piles. There is the trash can full of stuff (or recycling since we have a lot of files which I am trying to purge). There is the sale pile. We try to sell things on eBay or other places (although we've had little luck with that in the past year or so as eBay as been an increasingly poor source for selling). The third and largest pile is donate.
Donation is a great way to get rid of still usable stuff (clothes, blankets, knickknacks, non-valuable books, etc.
I move the donation stacks out to a location out of the way--on a table on our enclosed patio this time. I then put the items in bags and make a list of things by categories. For instance, my current stack includes 5 sweaters, 15 tshirts, 3 jeans, 2 jackets, 1 blanket, 2 board games (1 unused), etc. I then decide where I am going to donate the stuff.
There are a lot of choices, from the typical Goodwill, Amvets, or other local charity thrift shop to specific charities which need actual items (children's hospitals or women's shelters sometimes want gently used toys or clothes or books). It is a great time to support a cause you care about. It can be more work, of course, to figure out that you want to support your local animal shelter, call them to find out if they want your blankets and towels (they often do), and then get the stuff to them. On the other hand, it can be very rewarding to know that your unwanted items are helping a cause you care about in your community.
When you donate your stuff, be sure to record what you donated. If they offer you a receipt, take it. Remember that it can be useful come tax time. I have a folder for receipts for taxes and that's where mine goes.
There are websites where you can value your stuff for tax purposes. Remember that you can't charge the same as a new price. Some tax programs will have a "value this" feature that will help you set a fair price for the items. Make sure you kept enough info on your list to figure out the pricing.
Take a look at:
http://www.sdgoodwill.org/donation_values.shtml
http://www.irs.gov/publications/p561/ar02.html#d0e545
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Obsessions and Cataloging
One side project which has come out of my current organizing project was an unexpected one.
My husband and I are big readers and book collectors. We have many bookcases--many of them doubleshelved (with books behind the row of books you can see). We also have books in boxes in the garage and closet because we've run out of room.
My husband decided that cataloging our books would be useful. He is using LibraryThing and is adding our books to this online database system. So far he has about 1,500 books listed but is probably only 33% of the way through our books. He's been doing this for about 4 days now.
It's made me think about obsessions. We have an obsession for buying books. We'd talked about cutting back and avoiding going to the bookstore because I have three shelves of books in my "to read" section. I don't need new books if I have that many to read. Yet a couple of days ago my husband says, "Let's go to the bookstore" and even though we had just talked about how we wouldn't do that, we did it anyways. We bought 5 books while we were there.
My husband is getting pretty obsessive with the cataloging also. He's spending all day at it, pretty much stopping only for email and meals.
I think that collectors and people who are addicted to various substances are probably closely connected. There is probably something in the brain related to addiction which is also present in the brains of collectors. It is like an addiction, an obsession. It can also ruin some people's lives. Collecting and hoarding aren't that far apart, when you get right down to it. It's just that hoarding is often stuff which has little monetary value, isn't maintained or cleaned and is getting in the way of normal life. A collector will generally try to maintain the item and keep things clean, and a collection often will be seen to have value (although not everyone will agree on that part, as there are some weird collections out there), and it hopefully doesn't get in the way of life.
On the other hand, collecting, like we collect, does get in the way of life. We have a very different life because of our collections. We have less cash and less space. We also have less time because our collections take time and work. Books are just one of our collections, also, so we truly have an addictive personality. Our house is overrun with stuff. It's amazing to think of sometimes. People often sing the Addams Family theme song when they visit ("their house is a museum, when people come to see them...").
I don't want to go the opposite direction. I never understand the people who brag about minimalism and not owning things. I find many of the pictures of minimalist modern homes to be cold and impersonal. I may read Unclutterer but that doesn't mean that I'm interested in getting rid of our collections. People who talk about getting rid of books and only using the library do not understand our lives. Many of our books could not be found in our local library. Some of these editions are beautiful and scarce. They are a joy to look at, not just a reading copy paperback of the text.
When I look around, I see a crowded house, it is true. But I also see a house where everything has a story to tell. The items have history and meaning.
It's true that some parts of collecting worry me; addictions are not a good thing. Collecting is a borderline addiction so we have to be careful and not cross that line. However, we are also defined by our collections, and for the most part, I like it that way.
My husband and I are big readers and book collectors. We have many bookcases--many of them doubleshelved (with books behind the row of books you can see). We also have books in boxes in the garage and closet because we've run out of room.
My husband decided that cataloging our books would be useful. He is using LibraryThing and is adding our books to this online database system. So far he has about 1,500 books listed but is probably only 33% of the way through our books. He's been doing this for about 4 days now.
It's made me think about obsessions. We have an obsession for buying books. We'd talked about cutting back and avoiding going to the bookstore because I have three shelves of books in my "to read" section. I don't need new books if I have that many to read. Yet a couple of days ago my husband says, "Let's go to the bookstore" and even though we had just talked about how we wouldn't do that, we did it anyways. We bought 5 books while we were there.
My husband is getting pretty obsessive with the cataloging also. He's spending all day at it, pretty much stopping only for email and meals.
I think that collectors and people who are addicted to various substances are probably closely connected. There is probably something in the brain related to addiction which is also present in the brains of collectors. It is like an addiction, an obsession. It can also ruin some people's lives. Collecting and hoarding aren't that far apart, when you get right down to it. It's just that hoarding is often stuff which has little monetary value, isn't maintained or cleaned and is getting in the way of normal life. A collector will generally try to maintain the item and keep things clean, and a collection often will be seen to have value (although not everyone will agree on that part, as there are some weird collections out there), and it hopefully doesn't get in the way of life.
On the other hand, collecting, like we collect, does get in the way of life. We have a very different life because of our collections. We have less cash and less space. We also have less time because our collections take time and work. Books are just one of our collections, also, so we truly have an addictive personality. Our house is overrun with stuff. It's amazing to think of sometimes. People often sing the Addams Family theme song when they visit ("their house is a museum, when people come to see them...").
I don't want to go the opposite direction. I never understand the people who brag about minimalism and not owning things. I find many of the pictures of minimalist modern homes to be cold and impersonal. I may read Unclutterer but that doesn't mean that I'm interested in getting rid of our collections. People who talk about getting rid of books and only using the library do not understand our lives. Many of our books could not be found in our local library. Some of these editions are beautiful and scarce. They are a joy to look at, not just a reading copy paperback of the text.
When I look around, I see a crowded house, it is true. But I also see a house where everything has a story to tell. The items have history and meaning.
It's true that some parts of collecting worry me; addictions are not a good thing. Collecting is a borderline addiction so we have to be careful and not cross that line. However, we are also defined by our collections, and for the most part, I like it that way.
Friday, August 27, 2010
5 Month Update: Ups and Downs of a Rollercoaster Life
My life has been a series of contradictions since I started this blog on my 41st birthday.
I lost my job, but I'm so busy with (unpaid) work that I barely have time to do anything.
I often feel like a failure because I don't know what to do with my life, but I've been photographed and interviewed for multiple magazines, newspapers, and radio shows connected to my hobbies, a big event I organized, and my volunteering.
I say I want to be a novelist and have some grand plans for projects, but I've not gotten any of these projects or my novels started.
It's odd. I still don't understand myself that well. I often put off doing those things that I want most (my dissertation took FOREVER!). For a smart person, I'm awfully dumb about some things.
My house project went back to chaotic again when I was 95% done. That's because we pulled out another whole closet and made a big mess again. Instead of finding places for those last few stacks, I created more stacks from a new project and made a disaster area of our living room. It's discouraging but if I keep going I will be better for it.
For my list of "41 Things to Do Before I Turn 42" I have now eaten a new fruit (see my post on the tamatillo) and today I will be doing some sewing so we'll see how far I get in finishing a complete clothing item. I am also buying the ingredients for Cornish Pasty so that will be another item on my list. I've come close to rolling down a hill but chickened out since the clothing I was wearing and the setting I was in were not conducive to rolling around on the ground. Will need to be in a more informal setting. Still, the thought occurs whenever I'm near nice grassy hills, even when not the best time. I'll let go one of these days and do it.
I can't believe that it has been five months since my birthday (and loss of job). Time flies by so quickly.
I look forward to what this next month will bring me. I'm going to work harder at finishing projects. I'm good at starting things and planning things but not always good on the follow through. That's what I am working on this year. We'll see where it takes me.
I lost my job, but I'm so busy with (unpaid) work that I barely have time to do anything.
I often feel like a failure because I don't know what to do with my life, but I've been photographed and interviewed for multiple magazines, newspapers, and radio shows connected to my hobbies, a big event I organized, and my volunteering.
I say I want to be a novelist and have some grand plans for projects, but I've not gotten any of these projects or my novels started.
It's odd. I still don't understand myself that well. I often put off doing those things that I want most (my dissertation took FOREVER!). For a smart person, I'm awfully dumb about some things.
My house project went back to chaotic again when I was 95% done. That's because we pulled out another whole closet and made a big mess again. Instead of finding places for those last few stacks, I created more stacks from a new project and made a disaster area of our living room. It's discouraging but if I keep going I will be better for it.
For my list of "41 Things to Do Before I Turn 42" I have now eaten a new fruit (see my post on the tamatillo) and today I will be doing some sewing so we'll see how far I get in finishing a complete clothing item. I am also buying the ingredients for Cornish Pasty so that will be another item on my list. I've come close to rolling down a hill but chickened out since the clothing I was wearing and the setting I was in were not conducive to rolling around on the ground. Will need to be in a more informal setting. Still, the thought occurs whenever I'm near nice grassy hills, even when not the best time. I'll let go one of these days and do it.
I can't believe that it has been five months since my birthday (and loss of job). Time flies by so quickly.
I look forward to what this next month will bring me. I'm going to work harder at finishing projects. I'm good at starting things and planning things but not always good on the follow through. That's what I am working on this year. We'll see where it takes me.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Heatwaves and Lethargy
It's that time of year. It's hot, darned hot, across much of the U.S. In my own area of Southern California we are just starting our hot weather which may get worse by October. The average temp is 88 F during the afternoon.
I've never liked hot weather. There are really only so many clothes you can take off. When it is cold, you can fix that with extra clothing and blankets, but no matter how much I strip down to the bare essentials, it is still too hot in our house since we don't have air conditioning.
The main problem with this heat is that it tends to encourage procrastination. You feel tired and unwilling to do anything strenuous. If you stray too far from the fan, you feel miserable.
Every year I face the same problem in my home. It's too darned hot to want to work.
Here's what I am going to do. If you are in a hot place, I recommend you do it too.
1. I've got lots of water cooling in the frig. I have to remember to drink more water.
2. I bought a ton of great fruit at the store. Cool grapes and other fruits out of the frig help a lot in this heat.
3. I have fans in the major rooms. Air circulation is key.
4. I plan more physical activities for the mornings when it is not as hot. Computer work and less physical activities are better for the afternoon and early evening when it is warmest.
5. I acknowledge the heat and its power on me but balance it with a reminder of my goals and why they matter. I keep working but I take plenty of water breaks and stay within reach of the fan.
I've never liked hot weather. There are really only so many clothes you can take off. When it is cold, you can fix that with extra clothing and blankets, but no matter how much I strip down to the bare essentials, it is still too hot in our house since we don't have air conditioning.
The main problem with this heat is that it tends to encourage procrastination. You feel tired and unwilling to do anything strenuous. If you stray too far from the fan, you feel miserable.
Every year I face the same problem in my home. It's too darned hot to want to work.
Here's what I am going to do. If you are in a hot place, I recommend you do it too.
1. I've got lots of water cooling in the frig. I have to remember to drink more water.
2. I bought a ton of great fruit at the store. Cool grapes and other fruits out of the frig help a lot in this heat.
3. I have fans in the major rooms. Air circulation is key.
4. I plan more physical activities for the mornings when it is not as hot. Computer work and less physical activities are better for the afternoon and early evening when it is warmest.
5. I acknowledge the heat and its power on me but balance it with a reminder of my goals and why they matter. I keep working but I take plenty of water breaks and stay within reach of the fan.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Buying Two: The Wastefulness of Clutter
Since we were nearly done with our big cleaning project, we decided to go ahead and expand our reach a little by pulling out things from our dreaded "Storage Closet." We have turned one of our closets into long-term storage and it is filled with boxes.
I was a little upset when I pulled out a box with a collectible and said, but we already have this in the other room. Sure enough, we had bought the same collectible twice. One we put away in storage and one we put on display.
That's the problem with having too much stuff. The stuff that is put away may be forgotten and we'll buy it all over again.
We don't have that sort of money to waste.
We'll try selling it on eBay but we may not make the money back since people can still buy it new. We'll almost certainly end up losing money.
It's maddening.
It's also why we started this project.
Sometimes when you get too much stuff, you end up not remembering stuff that you have. It's been nice to pull stuff out and it is almost like it is new to me.
It's also be rather discouraging. I shouldn't be surprised to find we own something.
If you are like me and you have a lot of stuff stored deep in closets or boxes (or worse, storage containers), I highly recommend going through this stuff from time to time. Decide what you really need to keep, and keep a better inventory of the stuff you have.
This will keep you from wasting your money and rebuying an item and also make it easier for you to find when you need it.
I'd also suggest you get rid of a lot of stuff. However, since this is the part which I have the most difficulty with, I will understand if this is a struggle. It certainly is in this household.
I was a little upset when I pulled out a box with a collectible and said, but we already have this in the other room. Sure enough, we had bought the same collectible twice. One we put away in storage and one we put on display.
That's the problem with having too much stuff. The stuff that is put away may be forgotten and we'll buy it all over again.
We don't have that sort of money to waste.
We'll try selling it on eBay but we may not make the money back since people can still buy it new. We'll almost certainly end up losing money.
It's maddening.
It's also why we started this project.
Sometimes when you get too much stuff, you end up not remembering stuff that you have. It's been nice to pull stuff out and it is almost like it is new to me.
It's also be rather discouraging. I shouldn't be surprised to find we own something.
If you are like me and you have a lot of stuff stored deep in closets or boxes (or worse, storage containers), I highly recommend going through this stuff from time to time. Decide what you really need to keep, and keep a better inventory of the stuff you have.
This will keep you from wasting your money and rebuying an item and also make it easier for you to find when you need it.
I'd also suggest you get rid of a lot of stuff. However, since this is the part which I have the most difficulty with, I will understand if this is a struggle. It certainly is in this household.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Progress Made: Sticking To It Till the End
I'm 90% through my sorting papers project which started about three weeks ago. The first week involved pulling out everything in the office, kitchen, dining room, and living room which didn't have a proper home or was otherwise disordered. Then I stacked everything by category. I've been sorting through categories, recycling a lot of paper and then finding homes for those papers I still need.
I'm down to just a few small sections now and am almost done. My house looks basically back to normal.
It would be easy to call it quits right now and call it a job well done, but I'm not going to do it. The whole point of this procedure was to improve things, not to bring them back to a status quo.
I think this is a temptation in many projects--to end when things are "good enough." We aim for higher but when the real work begins it can seem like finishing at 90% is a good deal. The pain that the last little bit of work brings often doesn't seem worth the effort. That's a huge mistake.
It is the last bit of effort which takes a project over the top--and pushes it into the really useful and extraordinary. I think we get too used to accepting the Pareto Principle and saying that 80% of the success comes from 20% of the effort and using this as an excuse to say that we don't need to put in the last bit of effort because we'll get diminishing returns.
That last 20% of effort is really where most of the success comes from. The Pareto principle is about making ourselves more efficient but it should not be an excuse, as it too often seems to be, to give up when 80% done. "Good enough" is not great.
I have too many unfinished/incomplete projects around my house to believe that 80% done will be satisfactory. That's why I will push to figure out that last bit of my current project. If I am right, it will make a big difference in how I see my home and how I use my papers.
Sticking to a project right through the end, now matter the time or difficulty, is the true sign of a person who will succeed.
I'm down to just a few small sections now and am almost done. My house looks basically back to normal.
It would be easy to call it quits right now and call it a job well done, but I'm not going to do it. The whole point of this procedure was to improve things, not to bring them back to a status quo.
I think this is a temptation in many projects--to end when things are "good enough." We aim for higher but when the real work begins it can seem like finishing at 90% is a good deal. The pain that the last little bit of work brings often doesn't seem worth the effort. That's a huge mistake.
It is the last bit of effort which takes a project over the top--and pushes it into the really useful and extraordinary. I think we get too used to accepting the Pareto Principle and saying that 80% of the success comes from 20% of the effort and using this as an excuse to say that we don't need to put in the last bit of effort because we'll get diminishing returns.
That last 20% of effort is really where most of the success comes from. The Pareto principle is about making ourselves more efficient but it should not be an excuse, as it too often seems to be, to give up when 80% done. "Good enough" is not great.
I have too many unfinished/incomplete projects around my house to believe that 80% done will be satisfactory. That's why I will push to figure out that last bit of my current project. If I am right, it will make a big difference in how I see my home and how I use my papers.
Sticking to a project right through the end, now matter the time or difficulty, is the true sign of a person who will succeed.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Small Victories Upon Small Victories
We tend to want big victories. We set big goals and celebrate big milestones.
I think this can be a mistake. There are plenty of small victories which deserve recognition.
For instance, I've been organizing my house for two weeks now. The first few days were triage. We pulled all of the chaos out into the open and we set up a triage system where we gathered it into piles by type. We needed to see just how bad each category of paper was--for instance each of my groups which I volunteer with got its own pile. Some of these were quite huge, others small. None of these papers had a good home so things had been out of control for awhile. As I've stated at least twice in the past two weeks, the mess this system caused was extensive. We had stacks of papers everywhere where before some of it hadn't looked as bad; now it looked horrible. It felt like I had made things worse.
For the past two days, I've been working hard on various stacks, and I'm celebrating a small victory--the reduction of the piles! There are 40% fewer piles than a few days ago.
I'm not done, of course, but it seemed important to me to recognize my progress.
Too often, I think, people only look at the failure side of things. I had been thinking how bad the house looked right now. I am still less than half way finished. That sounded awful to me. Then I realized. I did 4.5 stacks yesterday. When you compare where I was when I started, I'm about 40% finished sorting and finding homes for what we are keeping (we are recycling a lot of paper--the blue can was full when it went out this morning!).
I'm not suggesting that, as a society, we need to go down the path that leads to celebrating every little victory. I think some places have gone too far, with huge parties for kindergarten graduations, trophies for participation instead of winning, and "everybody is a winner" attitudes. I'm not suggesting that at all. Don't celebrate false victories, but it can be important to acknowledge what we have done. It is not a failure to be 40% done with my organizing project. As long as I don't leave it at this stage, that is a great milestone I can be proud to reach. It can encourage me to keep going, knowing that I am getting there (slowly, yes, but getting there).
Sometimes it is important to celebrate the intermediate steps to victory in order to keep morale up enough to reach the end goal. If anything less than total victory is the only thing worthy of celebrating, we can too often feel depressed on the journey--feeling like a failure all the way until we reach the end. The journey should be as uplifting as the success at the end or the journey won't be worth doing.
I think this can be a mistake. There are plenty of small victories which deserve recognition.
For instance, I've been organizing my house for two weeks now. The first few days were triage. We pulled all of the chaos out into the open and we set up a triage system where we gathered it into piles by type. We needed to see just how bad each category of paper was--for instance each of my groups which I volunteer with got its own pile. Some of these were quite huge, others small. None of these papers had a good home so things had been out of control for awhile. As I've stated at least twice in the past two weeks, the mess this system caused was extensive. We had stacks of papers everywhere where before some of it hadn't looked as bad; now it looked horrible. It felt like I had made things worse.
For the past two days, I've been working hard on various stacks, and I'm celebrating a small victory--the reduction of the piles! There are 40% fewer piles than a few days ago.
I'm not done, of course, but it seemed important to me to recognize my progress.
Too often, I think, people only look at the failure side of things. I had been thinking how bad the house looked right now. I am still less than half way finished. That sounded awful to me. Then I realized. I did 4.5 stacks yesterday. When you compare where I was when I started, I'm about 40% finished sorting and finding homes for what we are keeping (we are recycling a lot of paper--the blue can was full when it went out this morning!).
I'm not suggesting that, as a society, we need to go down the path that leads to celebrating every little victory. I think some places have gone too far, with huge parties for kindergarten graduations, trophies for participation instead of winning, and "everybody is a winner" attitudes. I'm not suggesting that at all. Don't celebrate false victories, but it can be important to acknowledge what we have done. It is not a failure to be 40% done with my organizing project. As long as I don't leave it at this stage, that is a great milestone I can be proud to reach. It can encourage me to keep going, knowing that I am getting there (slowly, yes, but getting there).
Sometimes it is important to celebrate the intermediate steps to victory in order to keep morale up enough to reach the end goal. If anything less than total victory is the only thing worthy of celebrating, we can too often feel depressed on the journey--feeling like a failure all the way until we reach the end. The journey should be as uplifting as the success at the end or the journey won't be worth doing.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Of Stuffy Noses and Piles of Papers
Some days it is harder to be motivated than others. The past few days have been slow for me. I caught a cold. It is a mild one, to be sure, but it is slowing me down. Also, I've spent two weeks with stacks of papers everywhere and don't feel like I've made a lot of progress. If you go long enough without feeling like real progress is made, it is easy to become discouraged, throw your hands up, and say it will never get better. This attitude has been feeling tempting lately.
We all face it in our projects. There comes a point in time where we either have to forge ahead (pushing a little harder to do the work) or we can give up. This is the make or break moment for a project. If we persevere we get the reward. If we give up, we have a half started project that falls apart.
Most projects start off with good intentions and glorious dreams of success which get us through the beginning stages of the work. It is during the actual hard work that reality sets in. This will be hard. It will be tedious. It isn't obvious that we will succeed. It is taking longer than we realized.
This is the point when it is easy to give up. This is the point I have reached with my house organizing project.
The good news is, if one can push past this point, success lies on the other side.
Despite the overwhelming amount of paperwork still to go through and a stuffy head, I'm going to continue pushing forward today and see if I can make it through to the other side.
We all face it in our projects. There comes a point in time where we either have to forge ahead (pushing a little harder to do the work) or we can give up. This is the make or break moment for a project. If we persevere we get the reward. If we give up, we have a half started project that falls apart.
Most projects start off with good intentions and glorious dreams of success which get us through the beginning stages of the work. It is during the actual hard work that reality sets in. This will be hard. It will be tedious. It isn't obvious that we will succeed. It is taking longer than we realized.
This is the point when it is easy to give up. This is the point I have reached with my house organizing project.
The good news is, if one can push past this point, success lies on the other side.
Despite the overwhelming amount of paperwork still to go through and a stuffy head, I'm going to continue pushing forward today and see if I can make it through to the other side.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Things Get Worse...Before They Get Better
One of the worse parts of any organizing project is how things will often seem messier and more out of control while you are in the midst of a project.
Earlier this week I looked around this house in disgust. I had pulled out all of my loose paperwork, every unsorted project, every loose end in my life and piled them into two rooms. I then spent the next two days tearing apart parts of the garage to see what other messes I have.
Naturally this made things much worse than they had been before I started. End of the week and I have boxes and boxes stacked in my kitchen.
It is demoralizing, really.
The thing I have to remember is that I AM actually making progress. If I can keep going, instead of giving up because of the chaos caused by the process, I will eventually dig myself out of this mess and have something resembling an organized home.
I am probably not the first person who, faced with the mess this process causes, felt like giving up. It doesn't seem worth the hassle.
It is, though, and that's the thought I'm hanging onto right now.
The thing to remember when organizing a home is why you are doing it in the first place. I have to hold onto the goal despite the obstacles and with just a few more days of work, I will have more space and a cleaner place.
Earlier this week I looked around this house in disgust. I had pulled out all of my loose paperwork, every unsorted project, every loose end in my life and piled them into two rooms. I then spent the next two days tearing apart parts of the garage to see what other messes I have.
Naturally this made things much worse than they had been before I started. End of the week and I have boxes and boxes stacked in my kitchen.
It is demoralizing, really.
The thing I have to remember is that I AM actually making progress. If I can keep going, instead of giving up because of the chaos caused by the process, I will eventually dig myself out of this mess and have something resembling an organized home.
I am probably not the first person who, faced with the mess this process causes, felt like giving up. It doesn't seem worth the hassle.
It is, though, and that's the thought I'm hanging onto right now.
The thing to remember when organizing a home is why you are doing it in the first place. I have to hold onto the goal despite the obstacles and with just a few more days of work, I will have more space and a cleaner place.
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