It's All in the Timing - When You're Stuck on the Clutter Bus
One morning you wake up, and it seems that your dining room table has been manufacturing paper while you sleep. How did this surface disappear under a sliding pile of mail, books, magazines, batteries you were going to properly dispose of, a broken shoelace, and so on?
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All you want to do is find that electricity bill you meant to pay last Friday, and all you can feel is completely overwhelmed at the thought of starting in on this project. And when you allow your eye to move around the room, you're ready to just shut down when you see that there's plenty of other straightening, tidying, and just plain sorting and throwing away that needs to happen in this one room.
The Clutter Bus has visited your home and deposited more than your fair share of "stuff" - and although it's only 8 a.m., a good stiff Scotch seems in order. Well, maybe not. The trick to getting off that particular bus is to start small. And that's where good timing comes in.
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You have total freedom about how to do the timing, so think a moment about what works best for you. Maybe setting an actual timer gives you a real sense of accomplishment when it pings at the end. Or maybe that continual ticking will drive you mad and have you fleeing from the room - not what we're trying to do here.
Do you have a favorite CD? It could be something calming and soothing. It could be something that gets your blood pumping and your feet tapping. Put it on and do the sorting for the duration of the CD. Or see how much you can get done during one song. Or, if you like the timer idea, set it for the amount of time you think you can stand to do in one go - 60 minutes? 30 minutes? 12 minutes?
A few minutes before that song ends, allow yourself to enjoy what you've gotten done. Perhaps you were able to find and stack all the bills. Maybe you cleared a quarter of the table. Whatever is complete, take those last minutes to remove from the room anything you've designated for the trash, recycling, or realized belongs in another room.
Important points:
- Don't work beyond the point where you're exhausted (emotionally, physically, psychologically), or even come near that point. It's like training for a 10K run - build up your stamina on your own terms.
- In any case, don't work longer than 4 hours in one session
- Continually give yourself positive feedback for tackling this project
- Continually allow yourself to feel the pleasure of the surface clearing, the order being restored
- Do even a little bit of sorting several times per week, and you can get the clutter under control
- Remember to have fun! Set up games for yourself (and spouse and children, if they're involved) to see how much can get done in a short burst of time, use the minutes waiting for a kettle to boil to do 2 or 3 things, set challenges that feel good - and make you feel as though you beat the clock.
And - ask for help if you just can't face doing it alone. A friend, a family member, or a professional can help get you started if that's what works best for you.
It's All in the Timing - When You're Stuck on the Clutter Bus
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