GON Reader
Question
Maria,
When it comes to getting organized, how does procrastination fit into
this picture? I agree with everything you say, but motivation/procrastination is my Achilles heel.
-- Linda Tucker
Response from Maria
Hi Linda,
I completely understand where you're coming from, and I appreciate your honesty about procrastination being a challenge for you when it comes to getting organized. Procrastination is a common obstacle that many people face, so you're definitely not alone in this.
To answer your question effectively, I would really have to know WHY you're procrastinating.
For instance...
Do you feel there is way too much to do and you're feeling overwhelmed?
If this is the case, take teeny-tiny actions that you CAN get done. Like start just by decluttering one drawer or one shelf of a closet. The next day, same thing.
Do you feel that organizing is too boring?
Then you can make it more interesting by making something you love to do (sitting on the sofa, watching TV, surfing social media, etc.) contingent upon you getting your chosen TO DO accomplished.
Do you feel like you're not going to succeed?
Refine your idea of success. Anyone can find 3 items to donate and place them in a donation bag. That is a success. Anybody can clear off the surface of the kitchen table. That is a
success.
Do you feel like you don't have enough time?
Some tasks take less than a minute, like removing a jacket from the chair and hanging it up. Other tasks are larger and have to be broken down. So,
if you want to organize your kitchen cabinets, break that project up into steps that are not time-consuming. Zone in on one section of one shelf in your pantry, for instance, and invest 10 minutes organizing it. Tomorrow, do the same.
Do you have physical pain that is preventing you from
organizing?
Make the TO DO easier for yourself. Sit on a chair when doing it...or get a friend to help out...or pay somebody to do it (if it's within your budget)... or (my personal favorite) do a teeny tiny bit at a time. Part done is better than none.
In summary, it's important for you to determine what the root cause of your procrastination is....and what your motivations are.
I hope this has given you something to mindfully think about today.
