I don’t know if it is related to Covid-19 fatigue or something else but a lot of my clients and to some extent myself have been having more difficulty completing projects that we have set out to do.
We’re tired and the projects linger. We feel bad that we are not meeting our intentions.
But sometimes when we talk it out, do some brainstorming, and have an “a-ha!” moment, we get our momentum back.
During conversations here are some pivotal points that got things moving again:
· Acceptance
Accepting that this is the way things are for you now takes away the shame and frustration that you are not accomplishing what you have set out to do. Acknowledging that you are tired and can’t work as long and that right now that’s OK is very freeing. Once you have accepted that point, you can look for other methods that might work for you.
· Walking away for now
If you have been working on a project for a long time and at first you were making good progress but now you have hit a wall, allowing yourself to leave that unfinished project and move to something different can be very productive. Acknowledging that you have made progress and that at some point in time you will probably go back and finish the project but not right now frees you to be productive elsewhere.
After discussion of a roadblock with one client, we talked about taking some of the items that she could not make decisions about and just boxing them up and putting them somewhere else for now so that she could focus on what was left. She loved that idea! But here is what happened, once she was free of not having to make the decisions, she made them anyway and dealt with the items instead of boxing them up.
· Breaking down tasks
Cleaning out a closet, sorting out books in a bookcase, organizing your dresser in your bedroom are not usually huge tasks but sometimes right now it does seem overwhelming. So, we walk away from it “just for now” and read a book. At the end of the day, we feel bad because we did not accomplish anything. Diane Quintana and I have developed a deck of cards that contain 50 tasks that can be accomplished in 10 minutes. Even when I am tired, I can handle 10 minutes. Some of my clients and even myself have gabbed one of these cards on an “off” day and done one task. At the end of the day, we feel good that we have at least done something. And here is something interesting – after doing the one 10-minute task you often feel so good that you do another one!
· Celebrating what you have done
When having conversations with my clients they will often say, “I didn’t finish my homework.” (which, by the way, is always OK) But, then they go on to list what they did do in the past week. It might involve having some extra family time or helping a friend in need. It might even be an organizing task that was not on the “homework” list. Acknowledging and celebrating what was done and realizing that shifting priorities can be particularly important is taking away any feeling of unworthiness or embarrassment of not doing what you originally intended.
· Allowing good enough
In years past when cleaning out a cabinet, I may have pulled everything out and scrubbed out the cabinet before returning items. I may have waxed all my wood furniture when working on a project. This time around I may just get the duster and wipe it out and say, “good enough”. Getting a job done is better that putting it off because you don’t have time to do it perfectly.
I think this all comes down to the idea that we must be kinder to ourselves. We need to cut ourselves some slack when it comes to our projects.
If you want help or just some accountability in working your organizational plan join Diane Quintana and me on our Clear Space For You clutter support group.
Jonda S. Beattie, Professional Organizer owner of Time Space Organization, and co-owner of Release, Repurpose, Reorganize. She is based in the Metro-Atlanta area. As presenter, award-winning author, as well as a retired special education teacher she uses her listening skills, problem solving skills, knowledge of different learning techniques, ADHD specialty, and paper management skills to help clients tackle the toughest organizational issues. Jonda does hands on organizing and virtual organizing. For more of Jonda’s tips connect with her on Facebook.