I Need to Stop Procrastinating and Start Working May 29, 2008

Earlier today I indulged in a bit of a poor me post about losing sight of my goals and disliking my day job. I spend more time thinking about how much I dislike it and trying to avoid it than I do working. And the truth is, once I get started it’s not all that bad, especially compared to the anxiety and guilt I feel about not working.

So . . . I had a little Come to Jesus Meeting with myself this evening and decided that I need to JUST DO IT, as the famous saying goes. Our family depends on the income, the work itself could be a lot worse, and ultimately all this procrastinating is bad for my state of mind. Neil Fiore says in The Now Habit:

Trying to escape work by procrastinating will only increase your anxiety; only work will diminish [it] . . . the only thing that really helps is to start working.

Well said, so true - for me anyway. And ironically, what I do is write about food . . . I like to write, at least here, and I love to cook and eat and read and talk about food, so I can’t figure out why this is so painful for me.

My goal is to work (a measly) minimum of 10 hours each week. Starting tomorrow I’ll aim for 2 hours a day, even if it means I work for just five minutes at a stretch - no, just kidding! Instead I’ll follow Neil Fiore’s advice and work for 30 minutes at a stretch. And in between 30-minute work sessions I can spend 5 minutes dealing with the basement project.

My blog will be my witness, and you, dear readers are welcome to cheer me on.

I’ve Dropped My Big Rocks May 29, 2008

Several weeks ago I wrote about the notion of attending to your “big rocks” first, in terms of time management and productivity. I had three big rocks, and ambitious goals.

As of this writing, I think I’m still carrying just one of those big rocks. Why?

The first rock was to work towards financial security for my family, by diligently working at my freelance job, which bores me to tears. I have to force myself to do my projects, and this is no way to live!

The second rock was to find a new job, by making one contact daily, which was probably unrealistic in the first place. But I’m so unfocused and unsure of what I want to do that I have no compass for making those contacts.

The third rock was to work on my personal serenity project - decluttering and organizing my house, doing a little bit each day. I think I can give myself a pat on the back for this one. I’ve organized my sock drawer, and my linen closet, greatly reduced the amount of stuff I had on my desk, and managed to clear the floor of piles of debris in my basement “holiday room”. I’ve taken two trips to the consignment store, put together a favorite recipe binder (two in my case - I cook a lot), and organized my spoons :-).

So how to tackle rocks one and two? A coach. I thought I had to approach a coaching relationship with goals, like: “I’m dying to be a (fill in the blank) and I don’t know how to get there”, but I’m learning that the idea is to start the process with questions. I know I want to make more money, but I’m really torn between my interest in social service work and my entrepreneurial dreams.

In the meantime, I do need to pick up that financial security rock and keep marching along . . .

Self-Improvement Overload May 18, 2008

I went around the house and collected all my self-improvement books. You’ll see most are focused on getting organized, clearing clutter and losing weight. The photo above represents only a fraction of the number of books I’ve bought over the years. All those titles taken together make me seem like a disaster - and I forgot to include the parenting books!

You’re probably wondering if I’ve ever lost weight successfully. I have; I weigh about 30 pounds less than I did 15 years ago. It’s a daily struggle, and while various food plans have come and gone, exercise has been the key for me - and it keeps me sane, too. (well, sort of . . .)

If you’ve been here before, you already know that I haven’t found the magic book about getting organized, managing my time, or being more productive.

But back to the books . . . I’m starting to wonder: could all this attempted self-improvement be harmful? is it just incredibly egotistical? what does it mean to live surrounded by books that tell you that you need to improve.

What about reading some books that tell us we’re fabulous? I have half a mind to cover the spines of my books with titles like: You’re So Beautiful; Your Household Runs Like a Well-Oiled Machine, Look At Those Incredible Abs - stuff like that.

In the meantime, I could simply spend more time encouraging myself, patting myself on the back and recognizing my successes. I know it would be kinder, and it might even be more effective.

The Basement Report: Day Five May 16, 2008

On Monday I posted about the worst organizing project I’m tackling: the disaster we call the basement.

I realized that committing to spending just 15 minutes a day down there was more than I could face, so I decided to aim for five minutes, every day.

How have I done? I’ve worked down there 3 out of the last 5 days, and I’m thrilled. It may be absurd, but the truth is that if I keep at it, even for just 5 minutes at a time, it will eventually get cleared out and cleaned up. And I’ve made more progress over the last five days than over the last five months.

Baby Steps, Baby Steps (as flylady would say) toward order, serenity and peace of mind.

What Works, What Doesn’t May 5, 2008

Most mornings I get up early to exercise. What Works is to set out my exercise clothes the night before. Every article you read about making exercise a habit talks about this, and now I know why - It works!

Getting organized the night before prevents me from waking my husband by crashing around in the closet, and gets me to the gym that much earlier, so I can pump it up for a few extra minutes before my class starts.

Of course my wonderful bag is right where it should be, ready to go. No more rushing around searching for my keys and wallet.

What Doesn’t Work? Turning on the computer or getting otherwise distracted as I’m getting ready to go. I have to stay focused on getting dressed, feeding the cats, getting my water bottle, brushing my teeth and heading out the door - no more, no less!

For me, exercise is essential to achieving serenity and peace of mind, so I keep my eye on the prize.

Getting Motivated to Get Organized May 4, 2008

In the world of weight loss - where I’ve lived for a very long time - there’s a lot of talk about motivation through tangible rewards, and it seems to work for lots of people.

My experience is that the positive change itself is reward enough for me. If I stick to my food program and see a weight loss, I’m thrilled. If I stick to my Now Habit commitment and work diligently each day, I’m thrilled. If I stick to my routine of picking up the house before I go to bed, I’m thrilled. The reward for me is the weight loss, the work getting done, the tidy house in the morning.

It took me a while to recognize this about myself. I was always marking catalogs with clothing I’d like, or writing down books or CDs I wanted to buy, and then setting weight loss or other goals. But I wasn’t motivated by the clothes or the books.

Tackling clutter and disorganization can be overwhelming, and staying motivated to keep at it is half the battle. I guess we all need to discover what drives us to good - or not-so-good - behavior and act accordingly.