Let me ask you a serious question: how many articles have you read on getting organized? 1, 5, 10? How many organization videos have you seen? How many books on organizing your home have you read?
Now, how far have you made it in your organization process?
The reason so many people read organization books and articles but don’t get organized is that they are missing one major ingredient:
being in the right mindset.
Now, how far have you made it in your organization process?
The reason so many people read organization books and articles but don’t get organized is that they are missing one major ingredient:
being in the right mindset.
The Right Mindset for Being Organized
The right mindset in people who are organized is that they take immediate and decisive action on things when presented with them versus postponing it. All the clutter in our lives is the direct result of actions that have been postponed.
I’ll answer that email later.I’ll hang that up later.
I don’t feel like putting that in the laundry basket. I’ll just set it on the floor.
I don’t have a file folder for this so I’ll set it down here.
And the more you “postpone” things, the more “impossible” it becomes to get everything done.
You become overwhelmed.
You become overwhelmed.
The key to being organized is to take action on something the second you get it. But doing it isn’t always simple. As research shows it takes about 66 days to create a habit. So you’ll need to practice taking action on things instantly – force yourself to do it – and after several weeks it will be a natural action on your part.
The Right Mindset for Getting Organized
We’ve talked about how to succeed at being organized, but how about getting organized at home?
One way to get in the right mindset is to think of how much greater your life will be when you are done.
I will get things done so much quicker.
I will have a path to my bed.
I won’t be embarrassed to have company over.I will be able to work more effectively.
Picture in your mind the success that will come for you simply from being organized. Got a picture?
Now do ONE thing.
That wasn’t so bad, right?
Now do another…
and another…
Remember, what you are doing is not a chore, but rather as something exciting that will set you off on a new path – you’re getting organized! This is exciting!
Now do ONE thing.
That wasn’t so bad, right?
Now do another…
and another…
Remember, what you are doing is not a chore, but rather as something exciting that will set you off on a new path – you’re getting organized! This is exciting!
One Area at a Time
Your garage is a disaster. Your home office is cluttered beyond belief. Your bathroom paint is chipping. Your closet is overflowing with clothes. You have multiple loads of laundry that haven’t been done. Your living room walls are bare. You have boxes of papers of everything that have been collected over the years.
How does all of that sound? When you look at everything you have to do, it sounds overwhelming! Just reading it all crammed together in one paragraph is mind-numbing.
That’s why I’m asking you to just look at ONE thing.
Forget the list of things. That’s not important.
The only thing important right now is: Your garage is a disaster.
Everything else is inconsequential. Don’t think of anything else.
The garage is your only concern. Nothing else.
How does all of that sound? When you look at everything you have to do, it sounds overwhelming! Just reading it all crammed together in one paragraph is mind-numbing.
That’s why I’m asking you to just look at ONE thing.
Forget the list of things. That’s not important.
The only thing important right now is: Your garage is a disaster.
Everything else is inconsequential. Don’t think of anything else.
The garage is your only concern. Nothing else.
Go to your garage and analyze it. Now start to picture in your mind how it will look when it is finished.
You can do this!
Start it one area of the garage and start to clean (or follow the advice from one of those articles you’ve read or videos you’ve seen). The key is that you’re in the right mindset and your ready to get it done because the only thing you have to worry about is the garage!
Being in the right mindset makes all the difference in getting started. And getting started is what you need to do in order to get organized.
So, right now… not after you check your email, but rather now… start on that ONE thing that will get you on your path to success.
