Breaking Bad (Habits)

 This post appeared around this time of year five years ago. Then:  

Like anyone else, I have bad habits when it comes to keeping things neat and running smoothly. As we head into the holiday season and things get hectic, here are a few of the habits I'm trying to break.

#1: Piling. When I get busy, my default organizational style (drop and run) kicks in. I put things down instead of putting them away. I set stacks of things aside, intending to get to them later. This isn't too bad if the stacks are meaningful and this process doesn't go on for too long. But, when this habit continues unchecked, I end up with a major project on my hands.
Solution? Don't put it down, put it away. As often as possible.

#2: Procrastination. More often than not, the most difficult part of a project for me is simply getting started. Once I stop whining and start doing, I generally get wrapped up in the task I was dreading and find it much easier than I expected it to be. And progress is a wonderful motivator.
Solution? Give it five. Knowing I have an out after five minutes helps me get started, and since getting started is half the problem, giving it five gets me halfway there. Often, once I've gotten started, I don't stop after five minutes because I want to keep going.

#3: Not writing things down. This one creates less obvious chaos than the others, but it creates plenty of mental chaos. I have notepads in plenty of locations and designated places for particular lists. When it comes to not writing it down, I really have no excuse.
Solution? Just do it.

Now:

I haven't succeeded in completely breaking these habits (especially the piling), but I've gotten much better. Finding a planner I love has made a huge difference in #3. Though I still write things down on whatever's handy when my planner is out of reach, I make sure to take time to transfer those notes into my planner. Having a central location for my lists makes it easier to assign tasks a time, which makes it far more likely that they'll get done.

How about you? What habits will you break this holiday season?