It has been proven that getting organized can alleviate stress and make us more productive. When we encounter clutter, our brains register two responses. If we are already feeling overwhelmed, it is an immediate stress response. If we have a plan, the clutter is easily managed and our brains know that there is a place already designated for the objects and the stress is eliminated.
Having a plan before you begin an organization project is important. You need at least three piles. 1. The “throw away” pile. 2. The “give it someone else” pile. 3. The “keep it because you actually use it” pile. Then, once you have your piles established, get comfortable making a decision and sticking to it. One of the ideas that I’ve heard is that if you imagine that you are going to be living a completely different life, say in a tiny home or moving to the other side of the world… would you take this thing with you? It’s a great way to put our treasures into perspective.
But did you know that one of the best ways to use this organizational method is on your time? I don’t have to tell you that when we feel like we have overextended, we feel a huge amount of stress. Take a minute and look at your calendar. What can you “throw away, or “give to someone else” and what do you need to “keep because you actually use it”? When I started to view my schedule as clutter, I became so stressed that I couldn’t bear it! It wasn’t until I realized that if I used the same system on my time that I use on my sock drawer, I’d be left with the things that energized me and made me feel productive instead of all of the things that I’d said Yes to and wasn’t really excited about. And here is when getting comfortable sticking to your decision is paramount! 
So, what gives you joy? What energizes you and makes you feel significant and productive? Granted, taking your child to their dentist appointment might not be as gratifying and serving on the board of a non-profit that you deeply care about, but maybe it’s how you are looking at it. If I see the dentist appointment as one more thing that is taking up my precious time, I’m going to feel resentful. But, if I see this as a gift that I’m able to have a child and that I have the resources to take them to a dentist, that I have the time to spend talking with them as we drive, and that I am enhancing my child’s health… well then I have changed that obligation into a positive experience.
You’re an ambitious achiever, and your desire for success and fulfillment in your life is really important to you. That’s why getting organized makes you feel more in control and productive. Then why haven’t you done a little bit of organizing about the people you allow in your life? Use the same principles, although in a much nicer way. Some people need to be taken out of your life. You know this. So today, start that process. You can do this without being hurtful, and you have every right to decide who you give your precious time to. And don’t feel guilty! If it isn’t good for you, then it isn’t good for them. You are actually giving them the opportunity to grow into the space that someone else has for them.
Organization is about reducing stress and so if the idea of getting organized in any part of your life causes you even more stress, then ask for some help! There is nothing wrong with having someone organize your closets, and there is nothing wrong with having someone help you to organize your time and your goals. It really can help you to put your treasures into perspective.
Heidi Nelson
Life Coach and Founder of Heidi’s Clubhouse
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