Chronic Disorganization: There’s More to be Said

So . . . have you tried to “self-diagnose” since my last post on chronic disorganization (CD)?  Do you think that you, or someone you know, fits the description? Fear not, you are not alone.  And now you can learn a bit more about how to deal with it.

As previously mentioned, one of the challenges faced by the CD population is that they do not respond to conventional organizing methods. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. That just means you get to think outside the box when creating your spaces. The goal is to create a space that will make you feel in control.  But before you get started, you have to know yourself pretty well.

Are you a visual person? Do you believe in the old adage, out of sight, out of mind? How do you respond to sounds around you? Are background noises soothing, distracting or downright irritating? Is it impossible for you to work at something for more that 20 minutes? Or do you get so engrossed in what you’re doing that you lose track of time completely?

If you need visual reminders use labels or try introducing colour. You could use assorted colours of Post-it® notes. Things that need to be done immediately will be written on the hot pink Post-it® notes. Things that you need to do, but aren’t urgent, could be written on the buttery yellow notes.  Then place the note where you will see it.  That might be in one central location that you are sure to see every day, like on a memo board in the kitchen. Or, maybe you’ll put the note wherever it is that you need the reminder.  For example, if you have to bring drinks and napkins to the office pot-luck, put the Post-it® on the front door, so you won’t leave the house without seeing the reminder.

But whatever you do, please try to remember that when too many visual clues are left out to jog your memory, eventually a pile of clutter forms.  When that happens, that thing you wanted to be top-of- mind is buried and your visual clue isn’t helping you at all.

If you welcome background noises, indulge yourself. Just because you decide to get organized, doesn’t mean that you have to be miserable while doing so.  And some people just don’t like absolute silence. If you like music, put on the radio or your favourite CD. Tell yourself that you’ll work on sorting out your junk drawer for the length of time it takes to hear three songs.  Maybe you’d rather listen to a CD of nature sounds. Heck, some people like the white noise of their dishwasher!! Whatever it is that makes you feel Zen, use it to set the mood before you get down to the nitty gritty.

If you struggle to stay on task, or time just seems to slip away, set an alarm for yourself.  If you’ve ever meant to give 45 minutes to a task and looked up to see it’s dawn, you’ll appreciate being awoken from your trance-like state.  It gets a bit trickier when you’re inclined to walk away from a challenge after five minutes.  If that’s your story, you might want to try using a visual timer to help you track the timer.  The Time Timer available at Scholar’s Choice might do the trick.

I hope that these tips will answer questions for some of you. As you contemplate your personal circumstances and what it will take to get you organized, remember: there is no right or wrong way to organize. It’s okay to ask for help. Not everyone get’s it.