3 Keys Thursday: 3 Key Tools for Marking Progress

Yesterday, I wrote about the beauty of progress, which got me thinking about some of the ways we can mark progress, whether it pertains to organization or life in general. 

Here are a few of my favorites.

Lists. I don't think I know anyone who doesn't enjoy the satisfaction that comes from checking things off a list! No matter how we do it -- a checkmark, an X, or crossing out the item entirely -- marking things as completed is a visible sign that we've made progress. And, for those days when it feels as though I'm doing a whole lot of nothing, I like creating a backwards to-do list -- a running list of the things I actually did in a day. Sometimes, I create the list as I go, and other times, I look back over the day and make the list then. Either way, I'm usually surprised by how much I did.

Timers. I'm a firm believer that taking small steps leads to progress but, often, the progress is hard to see. Setting a timer gives us permission to stop when time is up, even if we don't see as much progress as we'd like when that timer finally goes off. But an interesting thing often occurs when we use a timer -- the momentum we create as we work and the small bits of progress we see can motivate us to keep going after the timer goes off. Time permitting, of course.

A whole new view. For me, clear space is not only the greatest motivator of all, but proof of progress as well. Going from piles to empty space is an unmistakeable sign of progress. So, too, is reorganizing a space that wasn't working and using style-specific tools to turn it into something that does work. 

As I said yesterday, process and progress go hand-in-hand. Understanding that getting organized is an ongoing process helps us to get comfortable with the idea that making progress, even if it's only a little at a time, will get us where we want to be. 

 

3 Keys Thursday: 3 Key Reminders for Organizational Works-in-Progress

DodgertonSkillhause via Morguefile

When it comes to organization, I'm a work-in-progress. I know what works for me, I know what to do and I know how to do it.

The trouble is, those things don't take me all the way to the finish line which means that even though I am organized, I don't always look organized. When time and energy cooperate, I generally come out on the winning end of the organization bargain, but often, they don't and I'm left with a gap between what I know and what I can accomplish. This annoys me, but even worse, it leaves me feeling vulnerable and somewhat lacking in the sense of humor department, especially when I get teased about my I need to see it piles.

At one time or another, I think that all of us feel like organization frauds. Whether it's our I need to see it or drop and run piles that give us away, or the I know I put it somewhere or cram and jam styles that leave us hoping guests won't look beyond our clear surfaces to see what's hiding behind door #1, we're always a little insecure about whether or not we're doing this organization thing right.

More often than not, we are, especially since "right" is defined by the user of the system. If we can find what we want when we want it, we're functionally organized, which is what matters most.

Still, there are those days when logic is insufficient to compensate for our organizational insecurities. Here are a few key pieces of advice for "one of those days."

Ditch perfection. No one is perfectly organized. Ask any Type A organizer to point to the flaws in her system, and she'll probably give you a list. Although a perfectly organized home and/or office is lovely, there's so much more to life than chasing organizational perfection. Know when to walk away from that need for perfection and read a book, take a nap or spend time with the people you love.

Start with successes. This first step in the STYLE process is meant to remind us of the things we're doing right. As an I need to see it/drop and run girl, I've learned what works for me but often, instead of seeing all the things I'm doing right, I focus on the piles of homeless items that seem to pop up relentlessly. If you must focus on what remains to be done (and, some days, we must), remember to counterbalance it with all you've learned and accomplished so far. Chances are, that will tip the scales in your favor (even if some organizing remains to be done).

Remember that it's a process. Thanks to a steady flow of items into our homes, whether groceries possessions, or some combination of the two, organizing is one of those life tasks that is never finished. In some ways, this is a good thing. Putting strategies in place that keep things from crossing over to the organizational dark side helps to stem the tide and gives us practice building organizational skills that work for us so that, over time, we become more efficient.

Pixabay

Accepting that when it comes to organization, things will never be perfect or finished can encourage us to cut ourselves a little slack. Once we stop beating ourselves up, we can use that misplaced energy to put a few more things away or come up with a new strategy that makes life easier.

Or maybe even develop a sense of humor.