Simple tools bring big rewards. I learned this technique long ago from my coach and have been using it ever since. When you feel overwhelmed with too many tasks and can't seem to get a handle on some projects, try this:

1. Get a timer and set it for 15 minutes.

2. For that 15 minutes, focus on ONE task.

Example: You need to input some data on your computer. Turn off your phone, shut down email and remove all distractions. Set your timer for 15 minutes and go to work! When it goes off, you put your work aside and take 5 minutes to reorganize, tidy up, return a phone or check your email. If there's time left, stretch, take a quick break and decide if you want to set your timer again to complete the task or move on.

This works for everything from housecleaning to bill paying. It stops the multitasking madness and get things done more quickly. If your task is to make a deposit, don't get distracted by the pile of mail on your desk. Allow yourself to be totally present to the one project.

Many of my clients love to beat the clock and are amazed at how much can actually be done in such a short time. They say they spent more time lamenting the project or task that required minimal time. How many times have you found yourself avoiding something that ended up taking 5 minutes? Instead, grab your timer and get moving! Action is a wonderful way to break the cycle of avoidance and annoyance.

This simple technique helps you complete a project, feel more focused and can be done anytime you feel overwhelmed or frustrated with life. And it's only 15 minutes--everyone has 15 minutes to spare...

Have you noticed that some things are easier to do with someone else around? We call this using a Body Double, and it means that we are there for a client while they do a task that is hard for them. Many new personal services rely on this intriguing feature of human nature-collaborating, joining, grouping, not wanting to be alone. Many people want another person around to get it done. There are a few options to getting it done if you decide that this describes you to a tee:

Team Up
Find someone that needs a body double in an area you have skills and passion, and create a system to trade time. Aim for 2-3 hour blocks and define the project before you get together. Add a meal or a family BBQ after so there is something to look forward to.

Delegate
Maybe someone in your world can do the dreaded tasks that you can't bring yourself to get done, possibly better than you could. My husband loves to be out in the world, so he runs the errands while I hunker down at home and do the planning & organizing that he isn't so passionate about.

Adjust Your To-Dos
Eliminate or reduce the task. If you plan and shop for the meal but don't ever cook it, maybe it's time to change your strategy. With personal chefs, ready-made meals, dinner co-ops and assembly-meal companies-there are plenty of options. Adjust your thinking to reduce the difficulty.

Outsource
Hire someone to help accomplish tasks that you can't get done. In some cases, this is the only solution to get the support you need.

Essential to getting and staying organized is to recognize your abilities and limitations. Honestly. If you pretend it isn't an issue, you will continue to get stuck. If you recognize it, accept it, talk openly about how you work best, those around will step up to the plate and support your efforts.

 

We now know that the piler brain typically has fantastic creating elements. They bring fun, innovation and beauty to our lives. For years we marginalized pilers because they looked like slackers. In reality, many geniuses were probably pilers: Einstein, Picasso, Beethoven, da Vinci. An educated guess is that many architects, writers, artists, inventors, designers, and entrepreneurs have the Piler gene, which hasn't been identified yet, but I'm sure it's there.

My theories about pilers are:

1. They use multi-tasking, multi-minding and random-order processing to innovate. They can cook breakfast, feed the dog, read the paper and answering email all within the same space of time and in no particular order.

2. They quickly switch from conscious to sub-conscious in order to pack in the data points on the creations they are brewing. Switching gives each idea space to breath.

3. They think in a circular fashion because they see connections everywhere, while linear thinking limits their creativity.

Oftentimes, pilers do not like their work to be put away and buttoned-up. The folks at Pendaflex are getting that point. They've created a product line called PileSmart to help pilers stay organized. The Project Sorter is great for housing beefy projects or task sets. The papers destined for a project sorter can at least land near the sorter until you have a few minutes for sorting, which allows for a mix of creativity and rigidity.

We work tirelessly to customize and create solutions that work with creative piler minds. Sometimes pilers and their minds need help systemizing, simplifying, ordering and producing something out of their creative thoughts. They need flexible and adaptable solutions.

Still our society gets down on Pilers. As a person who helps Pilers be successful, I use creative visualization to stay positive. I imagine that our clients are the next Bill Gates or Georgia O'Keefe.

1. Recognize your WHYS

Getting organized isn't new. It's not just about having more time or money. Essentially, it's about your purpose and intentions. It's about gaining an understanding of yourself, your environment and your life. Why do you want to get organized or clear clutter? What would you have room for if you cleared thoughts out of your mind that are no longer serving you?

2. Clear One Physical Space Every Day

Physical organizing, or movement, helps energize the thinking part of organizing. Begin each day by clearing one physical space (even if you just move the stuff). Then, step back and take it in. Enjoy the feeling of mental clarity, while not worrying about what to do with the stuff. If you can clear one small physical space then you can clear space anywhere, including your mind.

3. Free Your Mind

Think of your mind like a hard disk-it can only hold so much. We often keep thoughts that make us feel less then spectacular. Work through the piles of your mind, just as you do your desk. Getting your thoughts, feelings, memories and plans in order makes clearing the physical spaces much easier. Guaranteed!

4. Hone Your Decision Making Skills

Organizing is mostly about having clarity which enables you to make decisions swiftly. Our self-talk can inhibit this. The process of organizing becomes light and fast when you free your mind because your decision-making is crisp and clear. Become aware of what things are easiest for you to decide on, and then expand your base by easing into more challenging decisions.

5. Spend 15 Minutes Planning

Planning is the cornerstone to reaching goals. For every 5 minutes you spend planning, you save an hour of floundering. For each day, week, and months spend 15 minutes planning the day, week and month. Using a timer for this exercise will help you stay on track.

I see my clients struggling with achieving what they want because of clutter in their life and minds. It is painful and I’m always seeking helpful tools. Confusion manifests on many levels. Financial chaos, disorganized homes, mismanaged schedules and minds overflowing with thoughts and ideas all cause fatigue, tension and stress.

Dealing with papers and filing systems allows you to feel more order, function, direction and alignment with personal and professional achievements. Change is something to pay attention to. If organizing papers had such a profound impact on life, what could happen if you organized your pantry, garage, and computer? Each time you organize a small part of your life, enjoy that feeling of success and confidence. Anything is possible. Small steps into deeper organization decrease stress and anxiety. Organizing doesn’t always have to be a big monster to tackle. You are in charge of simplifying your life. Organize just one sock drawer at a time—no more, no less! It’s not an all or nothing proposal. Feeling truly organized on all levels allows you to take action when you want and to seize new opportunities as they arise. Initiating change in one area of your life will always affect other areas. Aim to move along your unique path in alignment with your distinct values and priorities.  

Letting Go and Lightening Up is just one way that Consilio spreads the word about the power of organizing, and what it can do for your mind and life. The Paper Workshop is another way to learn organizing’s influence. It is a powerful way to make steady progress and use a practical but powerful approach to organizing your life.