2021 Goals and Ideals: Zooming in and Zooming Out

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Last January, I decided to come up with 20 things I wanted to improve upon in 2020. They ranged from being more mindful and optimistic to decluttering and using less plastic. Then, each month, when I sat down to review and set monthly goals, I'd take a look at the list to see which three I'd done a particularly good job with that month and which ones I wanted to focus on in the month to come. This helped me to keep my list in mind in a low-key sort of way. I could have posted the list prominently, on the bathroom mirror, perhaps (I do have an I need to see it personal style, after all), but I preferred to let it whir away in the back of my mind instead. The idea was that the items were things to improve upon over time, not benchmarks to hit by a certain date. While this flies in the face of SMART goals, it worked for me, allowing me to make progress on a variety of ideas that mattered to me, rather than striving toward measurable, time-based goals.

How'd I do? Pretty well, overall. I made solid improvement on 17 or 18 of the twenty. I deemed one unrealistic (or at least in need of reworking). And the 20th item? I failed miserably. Oddly enough, that one (set a screen time curfew) seemed fairly straightforward pre-COVID but, somewhere between April and October, I stopped caring about doing it. No motivation, no progress.

As I move forward into 2021, I definitely want to do this again. Some of the items will stay on the list because, although I got better, there's still room for improvement. As I write this, I'm tinkering with the number, though, and leaning toward sticking with 20. While 21 things in 2021 doesn't sound too daunting, I'm hoping to be around for 2035 and 35 things in 2035 sounds a bit overwhelming. More important, the goal is baby steps, and making the list longer and longer doesn't seem to be in keeping with the theme. 

What does this have to do with organizing by STYLE, especially since some the things on my list had nothing to do with organizing? Lists like these go to the heart of Take small steps (the T in STYLE). When I write about taking small steps here, it's usually with respect to chipping away at organization-related projects or items on our to-do lists. But taking small steps is also the best way to get to big goals that mean something to us beyond simply restoring order and making day-to-day life run more smoothly.

geralt via Pixabay

The new year is a great time to think about these kinds of things. What kinds of small steps do we want to take toward ideas and ideals that are important to us? 

Maybe, for example, I want to be more spiritual or more mindful or more optimistic, or use less plastic, less paper, or just less in general. If I were crafting a SMART goal, I'd need to quantify these things and set a time frame in which to achieve my goal. But, if I'm developing a habit, I can simply keep these things in mind and look for opportunities to do them. The first (the SMART goal) is a focused way of taking one small step, while the second (more/less focus) is a broader approach that trains me to be open to opportunities I might otherwise miss. I could set a goal to take a reusable bag with me to the supermarket every week, for example, or I could keep in mind that I want to, as a rule, use less plastic. This might lead me to look around for ways to use less plastic, which could include regularly traveling with reusable bags, as well as getting a reusable water bottle and looking for alternatives to plastic sandwich and freezer bags. It might even lead me to consider the makeup of items I buy on a regular basis. 

Let me be clear. Both options have merit. In fact, every step on the way to our goals is a good one. I'm sure, though, that you've already identified the approach you think will work for you -- or maybe you want to do a little of both. It depends on your style, and it probably depends on the end point you have in mind as well.

Organizing by STYLE is based on our understanding of ourselves and what we know works for us. Once we've identified our styles and learned to think of what comes naturally as an asset, there's no limit to where that thinking can take us. So, for 2021, I will once again be making a list and checking it more than twice. 

Care to join me?

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Kicking the Obstacles off the Path

Dodgerton Skillhause via Morguefile

It's summer (well, almost), a time for simplifying as much as possible so we can free up more time for fun. 

Like anyone else, I have obstacles to overcome if I want to keep things neat and running smoothly. Whether these obstacles emerge directly from my I need to see it personal style (see piling, below) or crop up when I'm feeling tired and/or unmotivated, they create a roadblock on the path to organization. 

Here are a three particularly persistent obstacles I'm trying to eliminate.

Piling. When I get busy, my personal style and my default organizational style (drop and run) kick in. I put things down and leave them out 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.

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 build enough momentum to get wrapped up in the task I was dreading. In addition, I find it much easier than I expected it to be, especially once I start to see progress.
Solution? Give it five. Knowing I can stop after five minutes helps me get started. And, since getting started is half the problem, setting the timer and digging in is often all it takes to motivate me to see the task through to completion.

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.

What action (or inaction) obstacles are littering your path to organization?

3 Keys Thursday: 3 Key Habits That Might be Messing with Your Motivation

Photo: Dodgerton Skillhause via Morguefile

I cannot seem to jolt myself out of vacation mode. This isn’t entirely awful because I still have almost two weeks before the semester starts and I am consistently checking things off my lists, but still, I feel lazy. I am ending my days much too late and therefore starting the days that follow too late as well.

While that last part is not really up for interpretation (I'm in serious night owl mode), much of my other self-evaluations are. Often, we're much too hard on ourselves, wasting the time and energy we could be using to accomplish things. Here are three habits that chip away at our motivation by draining our time and energy.

Shoulding ourselves. Whether it's a gentle reminder, accompanied by a groan or a full-blown lecture delivered to our inert selves, telling ourselves what we should do is rarely helpful. Think about it. How do you feel when someone says, "You know what you should do?" If you're a Jersey girl like me, you might resist the ensuing suggestion for all you're worth (depending on the source and the circumstances). Shoulding ourselves uses up time and energy we could be spending doing the things that matter. If you really should be doing the thing you're shoulding yourself about, do it now, write it down or make a plan to make it happen. Otherwise, let it go.

Not writing it down. Carrying our to-do lists and goals and shopping lists around in our heads is exhausting. Making lists frees us from having to actively remember the things we put on them. The act of writing things down actually helps us remember that we have to do things, while also freeing from doing the hard work of keeping them front and center in our minds. This frees both physical and emotional energy that we can use to actually do the things on the lists.

Pettycon via Pixabay

Writing it all down. I don't know about you, but for me, too long to-do lists have a tendency to backfire. Master lists are wonderful (see item #2 above), but they need to be broken down into bite-sized pieces. At the start of the day (or the night before, if you prefer), choose the things you most want to accomplish. I choose my big three (I'd suggest no more than five) and write them down, remembering to be realistic about whether or not I can actually accomplish all of those things in one 24-hour period. When I select my big three, I often do so by asking myself what I need to do that day (any deadlines?) and/or which three things would leave me feeling most satisfied if I accomplished them. By listing selectively, most days, I get them all in and some days, I actually do a few extra things as well.

It's hard to get motivated to tackle our lists -- or anything else -- when we're tired and pressed for time. Breaking non-productive habits can buy us back the time and energy we need to do not just the things on our lists, but maybe some fun things, too.

And, hey -- if you want to put the fun things on the list, that sounds like a pretty good idea to me.

Stop back next week for a few more things to keep in mind when it comes to finding the motivation that seems to have gone AWOL.

Consistency or Flexibility, Part 2: Lists

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About a decade ago, I sat beside a colleague prior to a meeting and watched her do what so many of us do frequently: make a list. She was making hers on a legal pad and, as I watched her flip the page and continue the list, I began to feel tired at the very thought of her list. I determined then and there that I'd never make a list that long.

Not very realistic, right?

Over the years, I've used lists in a variety of ways. Although my lists rarely approach the length of my colleague's, most are longer than I'd like.

Yesterday's was one of them.

Today, I once again found myself thinking about consistency and flexibility, mostly because my lists are consistently inconsistent. Some days, I create a master list and work directly from it. Other days, I move tasks from the master list to a calendar or schedule, assigning the tasks to specific days or times. Sometimes, I write down my Big 3 and leave it at that. The only thing that's completely consistent when it comes to my lists is that I always make one.

Over time, one of the things I've learned about lists is that different days call for different kinds of lists. Some days, I can't face the master list, so I go with the Big 3. Other days, when I feel as though I haven't accomplished much of anything, I use a backwards to-do list to set myself straight. Then there are grocery lists, holiday shopping lists, guest lists...the, ahem, list is endless.

Clearly, when it comes to lists, I come down on the side of flexibility because, in the end, making lists and using them is more important than what they look like, what I write them on or how long they are. And, since my memory definitely isn't getting better, I'm pretty sure the road to my future is papered with lists.

What are your to-do list habits?

Back-to-School Shopping for Kids Who Organize Differently

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Have you ever watched a left-handed person try to take notes in a traditional spiral notebook? It's almost painful. The angle is wrong, the spiral's in the wrong place, and even the neatest handwriting approaches illegibility as fatigue and frustration take over.

That's how it feels to be a non-traditional organizer using traditional school supplies. While everyone around you slides papers neatly onto binder rings or into the pockets of folders, you just never manage to make things work as neatly and effortlessly.

So...why buy those supplies?

If you've got a kiddo (or two) at your house whose notebooks and folders look like they've been through a natural disaster somewhere between school and home, help them adapt their supplies to their styles. 

Ways to adapt a binder:

• Buy a portable three-hole punch to put in the front of the notebook.
• Load the binder with page protectors so unpunched papers make it into the notebook. Or, if that's not gonna happen with your cram and jammer or drop and run organizer, try folder pockets (hole-punched inserts that look like a pocket folder opened up and folded back) or a three-ring acetate envelope with a snap or Velcro fastener.

  

  When I taught Organizing by STYLE
  to an elementary school audience,
  I found that clamp binders were a
  huge hit with fifth grade boys.
  Photo: staples.com

• Add a clip to the front of the binder so the day's papers get clipped inside the cover and can be added to the right section of the notebook at home.
• Ditch the three-ring binder for one with a spring-loaded clamp. Kids who don't take the time to put stuff into the rings sometimes enjoy putting papers away when they have an excuse to play with the clamp.
• Replace the binder with an accordion folder. Choose one that's divided into sections, or one with just one wide, yawning opening, depending on your child's style.

What to use instead of a standard-issue, paper pocket folder:

• A file folder. Like pocket folders, these come in a variety of colors, and can be color-coded by subject. If the papers aren't going to go in the pockets anyway, why create an unnecessary battle?
• Transparent folders that allow kids to personalize them (photos show through the opening) or see what's inside. These also come in a variety of colors, with and without pockets.
• A folder that has top and side access and a tab closure at the top. Multi-colored (again). Never underestimate the value of being able to play with an organizational tool. The more fun it is to put something away, the more likely it is it'll get there.
• Clear acetate envelopes with string-tie and button closures. Sold at office supply stores, these often come in multi-packs that make them less expensive per item. 

avery.com

Admittedly, these choices are often more expensive and harder to come by, but in many cases, the time and heartache saved makes it worth the extra cash and detective work -- and sometimes, you actually luck out and find cool tools at the dollar store or the clearance racks. When I taught lessons in elementary school classrooms, I brought a variety of supplies in for kids to play with and had them trouble-shoot potential issues. They were amazingly astute when it came to figuring out what they would and would not use, and they often loved things that cost a dollar or less (colorful report folders with hinged closures were a big hit) as much as the more expensive office supply items. 

As you discuss back-to-school shopping with your child, use this summary sheet to talk about options and highlight his or her choices. Having him (or her) talk through the choices is an important part of getting your child to understand his or her styles, and eventually, to advocate for them. When we teach our kids to respectfully advocate for themselves, we're teaching a skill that goes far beyond organization.

You may also need to intervene on your child's behalf with his or her teacher, and that may or may not go over well. Together with your child, decide if it's better to work within the requirements (buy the required binder, but adapt its insides so your child can use it successfully) or seek the teacher's stamp of approval for an alternative system. If your child's teacher understands that the required tool is actually a stumbling block, he or she may be amenable to a trial period with something else. Most teachers are happy to see their students attempt organization, no matter what the tools, and in the best case scenario, your child may find an ally who helps to tweak and perfect the plan at school. 

So before you and your credit card hit the stores and start checking off items on that school supply list, take a moment to make sure you're supplying your child with the tools he or she needs to have a great year.

Curling Up with a Good Planner

AlionaShets via Pixabay

Last Thursday night, I treated myself to a planning session, which morphed into a goal-setting session. So often, I just keep running -- sometimes out of necessity and sometimes out of habit -- and I forget that one of the best tools in the organizing and time management arsenal is simply taking time to plan.

It started out as a "reduce the physical clutter" session and quickly turned into a "reduce the mental clutter" event. I put away a bunch of little things that had collected on various surfaces, clearing off several spaces that should have been clear to begin with. When I sat down to sort out the papers I'd collected, I quickly discovered that they included a variety of to-do lists that needed to be consolidated.

It's amazing how satisfying it is to consolidate old to-do lists. Almost always, several of the items (at least) have been completed, and so even when the lists are combined into a longer list, a sense of accomplishment prevails. And, when I'm in the frame of mind to do this sort of accounting of activities, it's easy to split them up. Whether it's by category (to do, to buy, to call) or assigning different tasks to different days, I always walk away feeling lighter.

Every time I do something like this, I wonder why I don't remember to do it more often. Running from task to task checks things off our lists, but taking time to contemplate the lists gives us a chance to reconsider their contents and re-establish priorities.

When was the last time you took some time to plan? Or, are you a planner by nature, building planning into the schedule regularly? Share your ideas and successes in the comments below.

Lists, Goals and Styles

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For the past couple of weeks, I've been writing about goal-setting and list-making, sharing some of the things that work for me. For example, as an I need to see it person, I love dumping "stuff" out of my head and onto paper. But, if the list gets too long, I need to subdivide it -- and sometimes create smaller lists on separate sheets of paper -- so I don't get overwhelmed. Whether I'm creating lists or setting goals, this process, true to my personal style, leads the way.

Different styles have different preferences. For example:

• If your personal style is I need to see it,  you might subdivide and color-code.

• If you're a cram and jammer, you might consider it a personal challenge to get as many items as possible onto a single page.

• If you're a drop and run organizer, perhaps you make your list, set it down and then forget about it, only to return to it later.

• If you have an I love stuff personal style, you might need to find just the right paper before you can begin to create your list.

• If you're an I know I put it somewhere organizer, you might make fabulous lists only to have them go missing because you put them in a "safe place."

• If you have an I love to be busy personal style, you might separate your lists by activity, giving each its own column, or maybe even its own sheet of paper.

In my case, my list-making (and, by extension, my goal-setting layout) definitely reflects my styles, but that's not necessarily true for everyone. Whether your list-making style mimics your personal and/or organizational styles or deviates from them isn't what matters. What matters is whether or not your process, whether for making lists or setting goals -- works for you. With lists, as with all other aspects of organizing, one size does not fit all. 

If you're not sure what your style is, or suspect it might have changed over time, check out the styles quiz and see where your answers fall. Then, keep them in mind as you create lists and set goals, whether for organization or some other aspect of your life.  

3 Keys Thursday: 3 Keys to Overcoming Motivational Obstacles Unique to Your Styles

Dodgerton Skillhause via Morguefile

I've been writing about Organizing by STYLE for over a decade, so you'd think I'd have discovered the link between my styles and motivation long ago. Not true. In reality, it took me until last weekend to make the connection.

Thankfully, the solution was an easy one; merely listing my accomplishments at the end of the day took them from invisible to visible, satisfying my I need to see it personal style and salvaging my motivation (and my pride).

Yesterday, I wrote about the motivation issues that may arise naturally from our personal and organizational styles, so today, I'd like to share three keys to bringing motivation back.

Listing. While these serve as proof of accomplishment for the I need to see it personal style, they serve as item locators for those with the I know I put it somewhere organizational style. Being unable to find something you've stored "in a safe place" is a real motivation killer. Cheat sheets bring order and a system to the sometimes haphazard organization of the  I know I put it somewhere organizer.

Chunking. A popular strategy for saving time (run all the errands that are in geographic proximity at the same time) and memory (chunk bits of information into related groups (think of phone numbers) to get more information into short term memory), chunking can work as a motivator, too. The I love to be busy person can actually see progress when he or she breaks organizational tasks into bite-sized pieces that can realistically be accomplished between meetings, appointments and practices. The drop and run organizer can save time digging through piles if each pile ("chunk") contains one category of items. It may take a little creative dropping, getting into the habit of putting all the items for one activity in the same spot, but it's the beginning of a system.

Containing. Choosing containers that match our styles increase our motivation to put things away instead of down, and to use the organizational systems we set up. Cram and jammers whose containers are large and/or flexible are less likely be defeated by crumpled, ripped or broken items. I love stuff folks protect their collections by containing them in ways that keep them safe and out of harm's way.

It's hard not to get discouraged when our styles don't match those of our Type A organizer friends, but remember that consistency is key, no matter your styles. Finding tools that work and using those tools consistently leads to habits and systems that work because they've arisen out of what comes naturally. Celebrating small successes and using tools whose form, function and style are a good fit for you keeps motivation high and the piles of stuff low.

Even better? It feels a lot less like work.

Write it Down!

Pixabay

The full-to-overflowing schedule that flooded the end of May at my house has continued to pour into June. Yesterday morning, I woke up with lists scrolling through my head, so I did the only thing I could do.

I wrote everything down.

Then I tackled my email, and the list grew longer.

As an I need to see it person, I have a love-hate relationship with lists. Because I need to see things, I love dumping "stuff" out of my head and onto paper -- to a point. If the lists get too long, however, I start to get overwhelmed and I need to subdivide. As I wrote yesterday, some of that subdivision came naturally as I indented bullet points beneath topics that had more than one thing to do beneath them.

Does your list-making reflect your styles, or do you have a different style altogether when it comes to making lists?

• If your personal style is I need to see it, do you subdivide and color-code for visual efficiency?
• If you're a cram and jammer, do you cram as much as possible onto one page?
• If you're a drop and run organizer, do you make your list, set it down and forget about it, only to return to it later?
• If you have an I love stuff personal style, do you need to find just the right paper before you can write anything down?
• If you're an I know I put it somewhere organizer, do your lists go missing because you put them in a "safe place"?
• If you have an I love to be busy personal style, are you as efficient with your lists as you are with your time?

In my case, my list-making does reflect my styles. I've already revealed my I need to see it tendencies, and I do, indeed drop my list and run, only to return to it later on. Fortunately, the mere process of writing it down reminds me of the things I need to tackle, so when I return to my list, I've typically made some progress, even if I was in one place and it was in another.

Whether your list-making style mimics your personal and/or organizational styles or deviates from them isn't what matters. What matters is whether or not your list-making works for you. With lists, as with all other aspects of organizing, one size does not fit all. 

Finding a Process that Works

While looking through old blog posts this morning, I came across this one, 

originally published on The Porch Swing Chronicles in January 2014.

When you find a process and tools that work, it's a wonderful feeling.

Though the master calendar is now on my laptop, the rest of this post

is an accurate representation of how I still do things.

When it comes to organization, I am an "I need to see it" girl. I know this, and have (mostly) made peace with it, though it drives other members of my family a little crazy. But, when life gets hectic and things pile up (literally), I start to feel the stress mount as well.

This morning, I turned on some music and began digging through the pile of papers that had begun to accumulate on my desk. Just a few weeks back, I'd excavated the desk, and I was not about to lose the paper wars again -- at least not so soon.

What was surprising this morning was how quickly I began to feel a sense of relief. Today was one of those rare days where nearly everything in the pile had a home, so I quickly discovered that it was easy to sort things into piles and from there, put them where they belonged. To-do lists (yes, plural -- arranged by category) grew naturally by extension and I felt myself begin to relax.

My current calendar 

I know the rules say that multiple to-do lists are a bad idea, but sometimes, one ginormous to-do list is an even worse idea. While I often work from a master list, then divvy tasks onto a daily schedule, some days it's easier to think in categories. Today was one of those days. Since the papers were being sorted into categories, so were the to-do lists.

I've also noticed that while I play with different organizational ideas, when it comes to time management, I have two things I consistently rely on: a master schedule (on my iPad and synced to my phone) and a page-a-day calendar. The first one makes sure all of my appointments are in place, while the second one allows me to break overwhelming lists into manageable pieces.

Unfortunately, today's commitments interrupted my sorting, and so the tasks I began nearly twelve hours ago are still sitting unfinished. But, because I got off to a good start and developed a plan early in the day before things seemed too overwhelming, I'm actually excited to get back to my sorting.

How about you? What time management tools simplify your life?

Just One Thing...or Maybe Two

pippalou via Morguefile

Organization and efficiency are wonderful things. But sometimes we need to wave the white flag.

Lists abound in December. It's two days until Christmas, and my lists still have lists.

'Tis the season to be...crazy?

I don't think so.

So I got to thinking. What's the opposite of a to-do list?

Just one thing.

Okay, maybe it's not technically the opposite of a to-do list, but it has been my plan for December, one that has served me well in terms of maintaining my sanity. But with two days remaining until the big day, and traffic slowed to a crawl, it's time to decide where to go from here, both literally and figuratively, especially since there seems so far from here.

And so my "one thing" has morphed into two questions:

pixabay.com

• Is it necessary? 
• Do I love doing it?

Anything that doesn't meet at least one of those criteria goes to the bottom of the list. I won't dispense with those things entirely (at least not yet), but the likelihood of accomplishing them is greatly reduced. That means that the things that remain on the list are the ones that matter most.

Things can be necessary for a variety of reasons. They may be necessary for practical reasons (toilet paper is necessary), or because they make someone (you or someone else) happy. Any definition of necessary will do, as long as it's true to your spirit of the season. Doing it just because you always have? That's a recipe for stress, especially this late in the season. Better to make a conscious decision that it's not top priority than to not get to it and feel guilty.

As for things we love to do, those are the things that bring us joy, or that Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without. I used to love to bake gazillions of Christmas cookies. While I can't say that's a task I love any more, it wouldn't be Christmas without them. So, while I'll reconsider just how many kinds of Christmas cookies an extended family of less than twenty needs and plan accordingly, I will bake them. Really I will. 

Organization and efficiency are wonderful things. But there's much to be said for enjoying the season.

Merry Christmas, and may all of your celebrations be happy, healthy and peaceful.
See you in January.

Tips and Tools for Making Lists

freepik.com

As I type this, there's soup on the stove and I've checked things off my list, so I'm trying not to focus on the fact that this blog is being written much later in the day than I would like and that too many projects loom between now and midnight.

So, where was I? Ah, yes. Lists. 

Last week, I wrote about lists and the best laid plans, promising that this week, I'd share some of my favorite list-making tools. While I hope that some of them appeal to you, what's more important than trying new things is sticking to your styles and the solutions that work for them. 

passionplanner.com

• A calendar with room to make lists. Last week, the featured photo was my 2016 Page-A-Day calendar. Although this is the first year I've gone with the word-a-day option, I've been using one of these for at least five years. The best way to use it is to take time on Sunday evenings to transfer the schedule for each day of the coming week onto the page, leaving space in between appointments to show me (an I need to see it person) where I have space for errands and tasks. Then, I can fill in the things I need to do, assigning them time blocks so they're more likely to actually get done. Or, you might prefer something with a different set-up, like the Passion Planner, pictured at right -- something that keeps the appointments and the rest of the day separated.
• Post-it Notes. If you're someone whose lists have lists, try making your supplemental lists (the ones you dash off when you can't get your hands on the original list) on sticky notes. That way, you can stick them together and keep them all in one place. Try keeping sticky note pads in the places where you tend to think of things you need to write down. And, if you find waterproof sticky notes that can be used in the shower, please let me know. That's where I get my best ideas.
• Electronic lists. My husband the I know I put it somewhere organizer loves using his phone to keep track of his lists. I've tried this, but as an I need to see it person, I find that this method fails me as often as it helps me. There are all sorts of list apps out there, but I mostly use the notes app that comes with my iPhone. Or, more often, I email myself with the item that needs to be added to the list in the subject line. Electronic lists can also be great for the cram and jammer who can always manage to fit one more thing on a physical note, if not into a 24-hour period.

Finally, when I'm really overwhelmed, I try the backwards to-do list. In fact, now that I think of it, I could have used that today. The backwards to-do list is perfect for days when you're busy all day, yet it seems as though you've gotten nothing accomplished.

What are your favorite to-do list tools?