tips for creating change

create change little by little

You'll find lots of ideas on this site to help you get organized and create change in your life. When all is said and done, you might feel a bit overwhelmed with all the ideas. Where to start? What to do first? If you start to feel this way, simply break down the ideas into manageable chunks. Give yourself a few days to come up with a list of things you'd like to change. Then, one by one, take steps to work on one area at a time. Give yourself the time needed to make the change and create the associated new habits. Then come back to your list for the next area or project. Little by little, you will get more organized, increase your productivity, reduce your stress level, and feel better at the end of your day.

create change ... easy as 1-2-3

Are you having a hard time bringing about change in your life? Maybe you're trying to do too much at once. When we get the enthusiasm to make change, it's a natural tendency to want to change everything right away! But change comes about little by little, habit by habit. Remember this simple 1-2-3 formula to keep yourself on track -- and prevent biting off more than you can chew.

1 = *one* new habit
2 = *second* chances
3 = *three* weeks to create a new habit

Let's say you've resolved to be healthier. If so,

1 = *one* new habit. Either cut back on snacks, start exercising, or drink more water. Pick one new habit at a time.

2 = *second* chances. If you skip your morning jog one day, it's OK. Get up and go the next day. Give yourself second chances (and third, fourth or fifth chances if you need them!)

3 = *three* weeks to create a new habit. That's right, it takes a minimum of 21 days to integrate a new habit into your life. So give yourself the time you need and once you've developed one new healthy habit, add one more.

create your own rules

I often hear people comment on various organizing rules they’ve read somewhere. “Keep just five things on your desk at a time.” Or, “Donate anything you haven’t worn in the past year.” While these rules are designed to simplify the act of getting organized, there’s just one problem: they don’t work for everyone!

The trick is to figure out what works for you and create your own rules. Right now on my desk and nearby windowsill, for example, I have over twenty items—clearly I’m breaking someone’s rule! Yet I feel inspired and productive, and not at all distracted. I know that everything I need to get my work done is within arm’s reach. And that works for me! Twenty items on your desk may be too distracting or crowded for you, but five items may feel so stark and barren that it makes you nervous.

When you hear an organizing rule that sounds useful to you—try it! Take note of how you feel, what works for you, and what doesn’t. Then, create your own rules—those that work for you!

focus on progress instead of perfection

Believe it or not, perfectionism is a very common cause of disorganization. Seems counterintuitive that a perfectionist could be disorganized, doesn’t it? Well, the desire for perfection is often so strong that it creates immobility, both at the onset of your organizing projects, and anywhere in the process if you begin to realize things aren’t turning out perfectly.

If you feel that perfectionism is getting in the way of your desire for a more organized home and life, the first step is to recognize this fact. Then, look for ways to take small steps in the direction you want to go. Give yourself permission to organize imperfectly by focusing your attention on progress instead of perfection.

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