Gain or regain order where you live and work.. A well ordered, easy-to-maintain environment greatly enhances your effectiveness and creativity. If you are distracted by disorganized commitments and clutter, you’ll find it difficult to give your work and your family the attention they require. Simplify is the first order of business. Organize your home and work environment with intention.
What does getting organized mean? It means not stuffing items into drawers or cupboards and pretending that you don’t have to deal with them. When you put something away ask yourself, “Where will I look for it again?” and “Will I always put it here?”
On a regular basis go through your closets and drawers and get rid of all those items you have not touched since your last heave-ho. If you have a stack of decade-old magazines, it’s probably safe to throw them away. Consider what you are likely to use again and what you are holding on to just because of the What-If syndrome: “What if I decide to take up basket weaving again? What if I want to study organic chemistry again? What if I want to order something from this catalogue one day?” These thoughts will keep you stuck in your stuff. Push past these thoughts and throw things out. Don’t agonize over what to do with your old stuff. Just toss it!
Reduce your activities and those of your children. I get a kick out of parents whose children participate in so many after school activities that they require a planner to manage their afternoons. Some kids have a weekly schedule that includes over a half-dozen activities! How can you or your children have enough energy for the activities you wish to accomplish if you need to have a full-time taxi service just to travel from one activity to the next? Balance and simplify your schedule. When you over-schedule your family’s activities without leaving enough quality time to spend together, you send the wrong message to your family.
This article is excerpted from Breakthrough Living, A Journey of Hope & Healing, a new book by Dr. Mark Sanna. Telephone 1-800-723-8423 to purchase your copy and to learn more about Breakthrough Coaching.