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Showing posts with label Planning Ahead. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Planning Ahead. Show all posts

Monday, March 4, 2024

Your "To Do" List is Overwhelming

Getting things done requires organization. You need a goal and a plan for completing your "task". 

Even things as simple as "grocery shopping" or "picking up painting supplies so that you can paint your living room" are tasks that should be scheduled - so that they actually happen. Making a list of what you need to get done each day helps you stay on track and makes sure that you don't forget something important.

In our busy lives - sometimes we just forget things! It happens.....  

Having a "To Do" list is great - BUT - for a lot of people - it's ovewhelming. And there is a difference between a "Daily To Do" list and a "running To Do" list. 

A lot of people (especially homeowners) have some type of a running list of things that they need to get done - to fix - to buy - to pick up - to drop off .....  And that list can be very, very long. It's basically a "brain dump" of anything and everything that they want to (or think they want to) accomplish. The list can be pages and pages long. Some people call it a "honey do" list.

The problem of overwhelm comes in when someone looks at that list and thinks that they have to get everything done in one day - or be labeled as a "failure". If you have 10 things on your list and you only accomplish 2 or 3 items on your list - you are a "failure" - according to your psyche. 

A "Daily To Do" list should only contain a few (3 - 5) items. They should be things that you can realistically accomplish in your day. If you accomplish 3 out of 5 items - then you can consider it a success.  But if you had 10 items on your list - only accomplishing 3 items would have been considered a failure.

You want to set yourself up for success - by being realistic in what you can accomplish given your time constraints. 

Each day (either the first thing in the morning or the previous night) - you want to take a look at your "running to do" list - and pick a few items to put on your "daily to do" list.

Set yourself up for success - keep your daily list short and your overwhelm under control.


Less Clutter = Less Stress SM     in your home, your business and your life

Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
.

Visit our Life & Business Coaching website:  North By Northwest

*** check out the Products tab for self-paced workshops, planners and more....   

Sunday, January 7, 2024

Setting Yourself up for Success - Not Failure!

It's a new year and everyone wants to get Organized! That's great! But where should you start?

The answer is simple:  start with what bothers you the most! There is no right or wrong answer. If an area of your home bothers you - fix it!

Most people don't start an organizing project until things get so bad that they can't stand it any lonoger - and then they go overboard!

They want to do a "whole house" organizing without really thinking about what exactly that entails - and being realistic on how long it takes. They jump right in - without planning anything. Because planning things involves time - and they want to get started right away - while they are "in the mood". 

And things don't go smoothly..... because they didn't take into account how long it really takes and they only have the weekend to complete the project,  what supplies they need, or that they need a lot of extra help with things.

If you want to be successful - you have to have a plan. A realistic plan (based on your abilities) that also includes a realistic time line. Most people underestimate the time it takes to do anything. For example - if you want to organize your kitchen pantry - you have to first take everying out of your pantry, then decide if any of the food is expired and throw that out - or if you actually use or like any of the things in your pantry and then decide if you want to keep it. Here we go again - making a lot of decisions - which all take time.

Once you've narrowed down what to keep and what to purge - you have to decide where it goes. Does where you had it make sense? Is it really conveneient? If not - where should it go? Does your pantry really make the best use of the space? 

Lots of things to think about....   And now you are out of time and everything is laying out all over the kitchen and you have to get to an appointment. 

Being realistic about how long things take (it's different for everyone), what tools and supplies you need, and your ability - is really crucial to your success. 

Set yourself up for success - by having realistic expectations. Time Management is crucial.

Instead of saying that you are going to do a "whole house organziing" this weekend - break it down into smaller projects. Start with one room or one corner of the room. Complete your organizing project and celebrate your success! Then on to the next smaller project. Eventually - you will have completed your "whole house organizing".

Set yourself up for SUCCESS - not FAILURE!

Keep on Organizing......

Less Clutter = Less Stress SM     in your home, your business and your life

Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
.

Visit our Life & Business Coaching website:  North By Northwest

*** check out the Products tab for self-paced workshops, planners and more....   

Sunday, September 3, 2023

Breaking Bad Habits: Planning for Setbacks

Having a home that is decluttered and organized takes a lot of work. It starts with a vision of what you want your home to look like. And then you need to create a plan on how to get there.

But for a lot of people – it also starts with breaking their “bad habits” (unlearning them) and learning “new habits”. Something as simple as not dropping your coat and backpack on the floor when you walk into your house – and putting it into a designated spot instead.

Once you have decided that you want to make changes to your home and life – people tend to go full speed ahead – usually without a plan – and then come to a grinding halt when things don’t go as fast as they thought they would or they become totally overwhelmed. 

 And then the guilt sets in….

Breaking bad habits can be a challenging and often frustrating process. It can be easy to fall off the wagon and revert to old habits. But it's vital to remember that setbacks are a normal part of the process and can actually be an opportunity for growth and improvement.

Here are several steps you can take to plan for setbacks and get back on track.

Forgive Yourself

It's important to be kind to yourself when you experience a setback. Don't beat yourself up or dwell on the mistake. Instead, recognize that it's a normal part of the process and move on.

Take a Break

Sometimes a setback happens just because you’re overworking yourself. Often you can put things right by going for a walk, or working on something else and coming back to the issue with a clear mind. Planning for frequent breaks will help you minimize the number of setbacks you experience.

Evaluate What Happened

Take some time to reflect on what led to the setback. For example, did you have a particularly stressful day that made it harder to stick to your habits? Did you get caught up in a social situation that made it difficult to resist temptation? Understanding the root cause and triggers surrounding the setback will help you develop strategies to prevent it from happening again.

Set Specific and Achievable Goals

Clear goals keep you focused and motivated as you overcome setbacks. Be sure to set goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).

Be Flexible and Adaptable

Setbacks are a normal part of life. It’s vitally important to be flexible and adaptable in the face of them. If something isn't working, be willing to adjust your plan and try something new.

Find Healthy Coping Mechanisms

Stress majorly contributes to setbacks, so it's imperative to find healthy ways to manage it. Choose healthy options that are proven to work, like exercise, meditation, or talking to a therapist.

Restart

Don't let a setback discourage or derail your progress entirely. Instead, use it as an opportunity to start fresh. Set a new goal and make a plan to achieve it. Don't worry about how long it will take – just focus on taking small steps in the right direction.

Seek Support

It is helpful to have someone to talk to when trying to break a bad habit. A friend or family member who is supportive and understanding can encourage and help you stay motivated. You can also consider joining a support group or working with a coach or therapist to help you overcome your challenges.

Stay Positive

Getting discouraged during a setback is common, but staying positive and focusing on your progress is important. Remember that change takes time, and it's okay to have setbacks along the way.

Planning for setbacks is an important part of breaking bad habits. You can overcome setbacks and progress towards your goals by forgiving yourself, evaluating what happened, restarting, and seeking support. So don't get discouraged – keep moving forward, and you’ll live a better life through positive habits sooner than you think.


Less Clutter = Less Stress SM     in your home, your business and your life

Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
.

Visit our Life & Business Coaching website:  North By Northwest

*** check out the Products tab for self-paced workshops, planners and more....   

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Planning Ahead - Get Organized Before You Start - Any Project

No matter what project you are working or planning on doing in the future - planning ahead - being organized is crucial.

Sometimes it seems like too much trouble.  Sometimes it seems like a waste of time.  But it's always a good idea.

Craftsman have a saying  "measure twice and cut once".   It's a great and powerful saying.

It means that you should be prepared and know what you are going to do  - and make sure you are doing it correctly. Just like any project you are working on.

If you just randomly jump in and start working on your project without planning it out and thinking ahead - you might find yourself backtracking and doing more work - or possibly undoing some work you did - because it wasn't quite right or any number of other reasons.

I make a lot of lists. And I go over my lists before and after every event - and tweak the lists as life happens.  Things change.  Lists and plans should be fluid.

By constantly tweaking your lists you become more efficient. You find out that you really didn't need to pack XYZ - because you never used it. You might have - a long time ago - but  you don't now - so take it off of your list.

Being prepared and looking and planning ahead means that you call all of the necessary contractors well ahead of time before you are ready to start a project - instead of getting upset that nobody is available when you finally decide to start the project.

Planning ahead means that you take the time to think about the "big picture" and organize your thoughts and ideas.  To a lot of people this is a waste of time - but you will do it - if not in the beginning - then later when something unexpected occurs that you did not anticipate.

So if you are planning to move tomorrow - don't wait until the night before to call a moving company.  And don't be upset when everyone doesn't change their plans to help you.

Treat your personal life a little more like a business - be organized and prepared - and your life will be much less stressful.



Organizational Consulting Services

www.organizationalconsultingservices.com