Guest Author - Emily Wilska
With Hanukkah and Christmas behind us, most of us will probably spend some time this week thinking about resolutions for 2005. If "Get organized" is on your list of goals for the new year, congratulations! Many people find that organizing their physical space, their schedules, and their files can have positive repercussions in other areas of their lives.
As with any resolution, though, this one takes some discipline and devotion to making changes. With that in mind, here are a few ideas that might help you stick to your organizing goal long after January 1 has come and gone.
Slow and steady
It's easy to start working on any resolution with lots of energy and the best of intentions. The turn of the year is an inspiring time, which often means we start out with lots of vim and vigor: hours at the gym, salads every day, entire contents of closets pulled out to be reorganized. But more often than not, we slide back into our old ways little by little as the weeks roll on.
This year, at least with your organizing resolution, try starting small. Rather than aiming to organize all of your closets, get your filing system in shape, and make your kitchen a model of efficiency, start slowly on one closet, one filing drawer, or the most active area of the kitchen. Once you've accomplished a level of organization you're happy with, take a few weeks to work on maintenance before moving on to the next phase of the project. You'll get the chance to enjoy the progress you've made so far while working on keeping good habits in place.
Be specific and realistic
"Get organized" can be a broad and somewhat overwhelming goal. By taking the time to break it down into specific and realistic parts, you'll make it more achievable, more meaningful, and perhaps even more enjoyable.
Try making a list of the areas of your home, office, or schedule you want to organize, and include the reasons you're listing them. For example, you might start with "Organize entryway to make morning routines easier and less stressful" or "Create a place for incoming mail to avoid paying bills late." This will help you get a clear sense of both your goals and their outcomes, and can help provide some inspiration as you work.
Don't be afraid to revise your organizing resolutions as the year progresses. You may find in April that you have less time to devote to organization than you thought you would in January. Rather than giving up on your resolutions altogether, make them flexible enough to accomodate changes in schedule, circumstance, and lifestyle.
Set yourself up for success
One of my colleagues recently shared with me her top resolution for 2005: "Make new mistakes." She explained that she knows she'll make at least a few mistakes in the coming year, as she does every year; she hopes these mistakes will be different from those in years past, and consequently will have different lessons.
This is such an unusual and inspirational resolution: it gives her space to be human and imperfect in a way many other resolutions don't. It also gives her the chance to let go of past stumbles and challenges rather than letting them resurface.
So when you set out to get organized in 2005, start fresh; try to focus less on the times you tried to organize in the past and more on what you can do to succeed with your organizing resolutions this year. And don't be afraid to make mistakes: sometimes they're more helpful than the successes.
Best wishes for a happy, healthy, organized, and enjoyable New Year!
