Posts Tagged ‘commitment’

Thank you!

It is Friday…no one does much organizing on Fridays…that has been my experience. So I tend to do my personal organizing and go to the Farmer’s Market in Venice, do some running around…kindof get it all together. Friday maybe looks a little more like Saturday.  I’m in the garden, cooking, puttering around at a leisurely pace. I’m grateful for my life here in Venice, for this career which I love and for sharing what I do with you. If you are reading this and if you have read any of this blog I want to thank you for your time and for participating! None of this would be possible without your input and interest. So tell me your thoughts if you have a chance…what do you want to know more about? What do you struggle with? What are you having success with? I want to hear your stories! Until then have a great weekend and I’ll see you all back here on Monday…

It’s late and I’m exhausted. But that is not the interesting part. The interesting part is that I’m still writing this blog. I committed to writing everyday no matter what and that commitment has taken on a life of its own. Now I just do it – no matter what time it is (and for better or worse quality…I’m aware of that but for now I’m working on consistency. One thing at a time!). That is the great thing about commitments.

You do what you are supposed to do no matter how you feel in the moment or what else comes up. Committing to a schedule is the same. I know that there are three times each week when I’ll be in the gym no matter what. There are other things I’d like to do in addition but at least those are in stone – no matter how I feel. These commitments carry you along with their own current and pay back to you in results time and again. Not immediately – over time you see the results of your consistent efforts. You just have to get the commitments in place – the ones that make sense for you, that will pay off in the right way, that carry you to the ocean you want to swim in.

Slowing down

Ok … so let’s pretend we agree that slowing down and focusing in on one task at a time is the right way to go. What if we took it even further and said that no-tasking is the way to go?  What would that look like? I think it would look like you having fun at your job, fun running your business and bottom line  feeling much less overwhelmed.

I’m not so excited by the “shoulds” and the “have tos” as I am by the “get-tos” and the “love-tos.”  I wonder if we would be way  more organized if we stopped trying to get it all done and focused in on the things we love to do.  It may sound impossible (who’s going to pick up the laundry?, etc) but there are services for so many things:

Image by 416style via Flickr

laundry for example, food delivery, dog-walking (we love to do that though).

Outsourcing and delegating are great ways to embark on your no-tasking adventure. If you have to do something you don’t love, back against the wall, wall on fire…there is always the option of going into the fire. Really focusing in on what it is you are doing until you see the fun in it.

The research is in…

best way to get what you want done is focusing in on one thing at a time. It may sound like a crazy suggestion if you have 50 things on your to-do list or task list but you really can only do one thing a time. That is, if you want to avoid crashing into the car in front of you.

Isn't this fun when you focus? Image via Wikipedia

The professional organizer in me says, “make a list of 5 things you have to do today and focus on each one until they are done.” The human being in me knows this is often not going to happen. In light of this reality – whatever you are doing – attempt to give it your full attention as an experiment.

Just for a day.

See for yourself if this works better for you, if you are less stressed, if you are excited about what you are doing.  It is the zen thing – the example being that even brushing your teeth is a fulfilling activity if you do it right, that is, with attention.  I’ll go into this more tomorrow but the best case scenario is to have no tasks – that is – you love what you are doing so much you have a “get to do” list. Ohm.

Dance (Photo by Clearly Ambiguous)

Do interventions work? I don’t think so. In my experience the people who reap the benefits of lasting improvement do so because they want to.  They are asking for direction and assistance.

I ask prospective clients how committed they are to getting organized during our consultation. Their answer, among others, will decide whether or not we are a good fit.  If someone isn’t committed to a process then there is no moving them. I am a guide in the process, and similar to weight loss, building a lasting relationship or learning to dance, take some time and dedication. There will also be some of the proverbial 10 steps forward, 2 back, another 4 forward, 1 back. Cha-cha-cha. Want to dance?