Today, many of us are facing challenges and uncertainties we have only heard our parents or grandparents talk about, but never experienced ourselves. At times, it feels like we are being hit from all sides and it is difficult to see a “light at the end of the tunnel.” No matter what your personal situation, the time is now to deal with what you have been “putting off till tomorrow.” We all have to change our “American” mindset of “more is better.” Consider the following concepts to help you create the life you want to live and eliminate the unnecessary clutter.
1. Focus! Stop Procrastinating. Create your “big picture” goals/plan if you haven’t already. Eliminate any unfinished projects that are distracting you from the important aspects of your life. Clear off all horizontal spaces, toss the clutter, find the important things that need to be done and do them. Being disorganized wastes time on many levels, and time is money. Get real about your commitments; learn to say “No” so you don’t get involved in anything that will detour you from your plan.
2. Economize! Resist buying things that you don’t “really need” to support your life plan. If you clip coupons, keep them in a baggy in the car so you can actually use them. Combine your errands. Find creative ways to cut your monthly expenses like paying bills online and save the cost of stamps.
3. Prioritize! Look at your “big picture” goals (they should cover at least the next two-plus years). Decide what it will take to successfully achieve your goals. Prioritize your activities. Set time lines for weekly, monthly and yearly goals. Make it a priority each week to evaluate what you did to move you a week closer to your ultimate objectives.
This is a good time to remind yourself that it is not the “quantity” of your stuff, but the “quality” of your relationships that are important. So, if setting your goals and being clear about the results you are striving to achieve is difficult for you, it has been proven that a professional organizer is a cost effective, high return-on-investment option you can choose to help you achieve your ultimate goals.
Barbara Ricketts is a Certified Professional Organizer (CPO). If you need professional assistance to get organized, contact her at MessDoctor@Mac.com or call 661-263-0124.