Getting Organized, Step 6: don't procrastinate

Are you the type who gets everything done right away? I need you as my coach!

I don't know whether it is because I have too much to do, or if it's just my nature. Probably both. Just look at how long it took to write this blog post. 

On July 24 I wrote, no, I promised, I would tackle one of the 8 steps to get organized and report back about my progress every week. So this post was theoretically due Sept 6 - today is... well... still September! 

Phew, that's not too bad, right? Considering I set up this whole kids birthday party. You can't really see it in those pictures, but the living room is much less cluttered than before. Even one of the visitors noticed and said so :-) At least I reached this goal without going here:

The internet is full of tips and tricks on how to get better about (not) procrastinating. I like this Swedish guy, Henrik's positivity blog: 7 ways to move beyond procrastination

I like no 3 "create a flow - instead of doing nothing, do something" and no 7 "work on something for just five minutes", only I know that once I start with the five minutes and for example lay out all the papers I need to sort, I will create a mess that needs to be cleaned up, which takes more than five minutes. So if I start, I want to get it all done. 

Happened today. I needed to find instructions on how to upload and insert pictures onto our #@$!%* charity website which I should have done a while ago. Sorted out invoices, pay slips, insurance policies for two hours, did not find what I was looking for, but at least threw away stuff and have all the charity paperwork in one pile place now. 

Other times "if I start, I want to get it all done" is a stumbling block that keeps me from getting started in the first place. 

Except the consequences will be bad. It can be simple things. If I don't move my a*** to the market, there will be no dinner. Or, I want to wear a specific clothing item tomorrow - so I need to do laundry today. Deadlines work, too. Like Colin's birthday party was coming up if I was ready or not, and I'd rather be prepared! Now I only need to know what day will be the first day of snow, and I'll make sure to make that tire changing appointment for the day before! Because I don't have chains and I certainly don't know how to put them on ;-) Not that we usually get that much snow around here.

I don't quite agree with "don't manage" and "don't (over) prioritize", because I can get distracted and side-tracked easily. At the end of the day I might have done something, but not what I needed to do.

As part of a hiring process many years ago, I had to hand in a handwriting sample, and that psychologist later told me "you've got great ideas and enthusiasm, but you've GOT to bundle your energy! You are the driver of your carriage, and you have to make sure that all the horses run into the same direction - otherwise you'll never arrive at your destination!" 

No kidding! 

Now I wonder about my horses. If I've got horses to haul me to places, who / where are they, and how do I get them to move? 

• Are they all inside of me and need to get past my weaker self? Think self-motivation? Reward system? 
  
  
  
• Are appliances my horses? Dishwasher, steamer, laundry machine, dryer,..? I want to take the opportunity to thank them for their loyal services! 
  
• Are the people around me my horses, and I need to ask for their help? Kinda hate that. What if they don't do it right or don't do it at all?

I will need to reflect more on that - tomorrow!

One can still dream - right?

PS: Remember the unsolved shoe rack situation?? This very moment I get an e-mail from my old ex-boyfriend, yes the one who "Buster" is all about! He seems to be doing some purging in his life as well and wants to get rid of this cabinet, and obviously, back in the days, I told him I wanted it! I vaguely remember, but really what does it matter, I need this piece!!

PPS: Are ex-boyfriends my horses? Too bad I don't have more of them ;-)

PPPS: I found the website instructions... On the nightstand pile!!! So now you can find some pictures of our recent activities.