Eliminate frustrations by organizing your life

We’ve all lost something at some point.

Your keys, your Daytimer (planner), your checkbook, your phone, the TV remote, and important files or mail. At that point, you kick yourself and think, “I am going to get organized!” but you don’t! The moment passes and you can now move on to the next process.

We also all have something that we know we should do but we put it off. Procrastinate. other things take priority or we just really don’t want to do it. I’ve talked about organization before because it is one area I know needs my continual attention.

What if you could eliminate frustrations?

You can! You might think this is impossible but the problem stems by thinking that you have to do everything all at one. Breaking your changes into steps and pieces lets you feel a sense of accomplishment and move forward. Let’s try some examples:

You lose your keys regularly

Make a new habit. If you are female and regularly carry a purse, find one pocket you will always put your keys in. When I buy a new purse, I consider multiple options and figure out what would help me find my important things.

Women who throw their keys into the main part of the purse (the bottomless pit) struggle to ever find them. If you select one spot, it will work for you.

Men don’t carry purses (usually) so you need to find a place to put your keys when you come home. It can be the top of your dresser (we will address finding the top of your dresser in the next step). Perhaps a hook on the wall, cabinet by the door, or another place will work. Your job will be to place your keys there consciously every time you come home.

You have piles (not a disease)

You’d like to put the keys on the top of your dresser but you can’t find the top of your dresser. If you are a person who piles things, you need to start with one location. If you need your dresser top to place your keys, you need to clear the dresser.

Remove everything and systematically find a new home for things or throw things out.

Set up several boxes as sorting assistants. Label them Move, Throw, or Review.

All you have to do with this step is sort your things into the three boxes and dust the dresser. Replace only what you must have on your dresser and leave a spot for your keys.

This process will work for every other spot in your house, one piece of paper or object at a time.

You need to change your job (regular readers knew I would tie this to job search at some point)

When you know you need to change something about your life, until you reach the breaking point, you will avoid action. Counselors tell you that you have to want change to make it happen.

When you are considering a job change, you push the thought of changing your job aside until you hit the point that you are so unhappy that you can’t function.

When you do this, you end up with new problems. Clients who work with me often say they wish they made the call sooner.

Your one step if this is your issue is to connect with a resource to prepare you to begin a job search.

Image courtesy of anankkml at FreeDigitalPhotos.net