Thursday
Dec102009
I'm making a list, and checking it twice.
Thursday, December 10, 2009 at 5:00PM
I used to be what I would describe as "highly organized". Most would probably have called it anal retentive, obsessive ...something along those lines. As early as I can remember I wanted or had a desk. Hanging file folders, all labeled and orderly held all my important documents. Whether they were my stickers for trade or my old bank statements.
Somewhere along the way, between college (when I would still have described myself as "highly organized") and now ... the wheels came off. I no longer know where anything is, I don't reliably use any form of day timer, Franklin Covey or otherwise. Most days I find it amazing I get to work w/ my clothes on - and as nakedness at work is frowned upon, it's good I can at least accomplish that. But, you probably get my drift - even getting out the door seems too hard, getting anything beyond that done gets harder and harder. Work gets all my organizational attention (and even that feels like it's slipped) and organizing & managing the rest of my life has been orphaned.
The worst part about this (in my opinion) failing, is that my life requires a lot more organization than it did when I was eight and had my stickers all neatly filed by type. Now I have mostly legit, important things & necessary things (oh, like my son's birth certificate or immunization record) - and they are never anywhere to be found.
While actually having access to these things is important, most frustrating to me is the time I waste looking for things I know should be in one spot waiting for those rare occasions I need them. I need to get my our crap together, cause it's the entire household that is in need of some serious organization, clearing out and simplifying. Either that, or something else has to give - and I think it might be my sanity.
Where do I start? Advise anyone? There's about 4 trillion different places I can think to get advise on this, but I feel so overwhelmed ... so, while trying to figure out step #2, I'm going to start a list of things I know I either need or want to do so make some aspect of my life run a bit more smoothly.
One - Christmas 2009
Two - Christmas 2010 2010 Gift List (including important dates on which I should send cards).
I made the fatal error of starting my Christmas shopping on Nov. 30th. I've done okay - as my list isn't that long, but I've got some critical areas where I'm lacking and I now am a bit afraid that things won't arrive in time. So, this year I'm going to put together a list of cards, gifts, etc that need procuring for 2010. I'm going to start a gift stash (for those last minute kid's birthday parties) and gather gifts throughout the year. Downside, I have to (a) store them and (b) remember them when gift giving time comes. Upside, this time next year, hopefully my Christmas shopping will be done.
Three - Organize all my personal and business contacts
Four - Assign a project to my yarn stash, or pass it on
Five - Scan all "important" papers & file on Backpack
Six - Clean out my office (that crazy pit of despair at work that has reached embarrassing levels)
Seven - Clean out & organize our "middle bedroom" that is full of my stuff
Eight - Create a file of "real papers" that we keep for necessary reference like birth certificates, social security cards, etc.
That's what I can think of right now ... I know there's so much more.
Somewhere along the way, between college (when I would still have described myself as "highly organized") and now ... the wheels came off. I no longer know where anything is, I don't reliably use any form of day timer, Franklin Covey or otherwise. Most days I find it amazing I get to work w/ my clothes on - and as nakedness at work is frowned upon, it's good I can at least accomplish that. But, you probably get my drift - even getting out the door seems too hard, getting anything beyond that done gets harder and harder. Work gets all my organizational attention (and even that feels like it's slipped) and organizing & managing the rest of my life has been orphaned.
The worst part about this (in my opinion) failing, is that my life requires a lot more organization than it did when I was eight and had my stickers all neatly filed by type. Now I have mostly legit, important things & necessary things (oh, like my son's birth certificate or immunization record) - and they are never anywhere to be found.
While actually having access to these things is important, most frustrating to me is the time I waste looking for things I know should be in one spot waiting for those rare occasions I need them. I need to get my our crap together, cause it's the entire household that is in need of some serious organization, clearing out and simplifying. Either that, or something else has to give - and I think it might be my sanity.
Where do I start? Advise anyone? There's about 4 trillion different places I can think to get advise on this, but I feel so overwhelmed ... so, while trying to figure out step #2, I'm going to start a list of things I know I either need or want to do so make some aspect of my life run a bit more smoothly.
One - Christmas 2009
Two - Christmas 2010 2010 Gift List (including important dates on which I should send cards).
I made the fatal error of starting my Christmas shopping on Nov. 30th. I've done okay - as my list isn't that long, but I've got some critical areas where I'm lacking and I now am a bit afraid that things won't arrive in time. So, this year I'm going to put together a list of cards, gifts, etc that need procuring for 2010. I'm going to start a gift stash (for those last minute kid's birthday parties) and gather gifts throughout the year. Downside, I have to (a) store them and (b) remember them when gift giving time comes. Upside, this time next year, hopefully my Christmas shopping will be done.
Three - Organize all my personal and business contacts
Four - Assign a project to my yarn stash, or pass it on
Five - Scan all "important" papers & file on Backpack
Six - Clean out my office (that crazy pit of despair at work that has reached embarrassing levels)
Seven - Clean out & organize our "middle bedroom" that is full of my stuff
Eight - Create a file of "real papers" that we keep for necessary reference like birth certificates, social security cards, etc.
That's what I can think of right now ... I know there's so much more.
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