We Can Do Hard Things: An Ode to Motivation
I am curious. What inspires you to do something you should do and you know is good for you, only… you really don’t want to do it?
That’s the way my twin and I felt a few days ago...we both knew we ought to walk; however, the day was exceedingly windy and gray in Edmond, Oklahoma (where my twin resides), and misty, gray, and chilly for me here in Vancouver, Washington.
We discussed and agreed that walking makes us feel physically and mentally great. Then, she and I reminisced about a particular walk that brought us joy, referring to a brisk walk along the Washougal, Washington Lewis and Clark Heritage Trail (Dike Trail). That particular morning was sunny and warm, and the scenic snow-covered Mt Hood in the background and the slow-moving Columbia River along the side made our beautiful nature walk complete.
A happy memory with my twin!
While the picture-perfect scenery and just-right weather conditions noted above were conducive by themselves to exercise outdoors, my twin and I felt the walk “together” was key despite the current weather.
So, she and I texted each other until ready to head out on our separate paths. We continued our cell phone chat until we arrived back at our respective homes. We felt grateful for our time together, a sense of relief for completing a highly meaningful physical activity, and the jump-start energy it produced for the rest of the day.
Musings on Motivation from a Professional Organizer (and Her Twin.)
Another favorite activity we share, along with walking, is identifying and discussing our perceived family’s (and clients’) organizing challenges.
Together, we identify these pressing issues: stacks of unread computer-printed articles, hundreds of unread books, an abundance of unused tools, hobby items, and multiples of different products located in the garage. Then, our brainstorming leads to possible and acceptable solutions for those involved.
Sometimes, just sharing ideas helps us figure out how to encourage others to begin or complete “put-off” actions like more physical activity or reducing large quantities of unused items from their homes.
Body Doubling for Motivation and Getting Started on a Task You Don’t Want to Do
An additional and helpful technique to try, and used by many Professional Organizers, is named “body doubling.” Body doubling is a productivity technique where a person works alongside someone else - either in person or virtually - to stay focused and accountable. The presence of another person, even if they are not actively participating in the same task, helps reduce distractions, increase motivation, and improve task completion.
If you don’t have someone available to sit next to you, try Merve, a popular body-doubling “study with me” YouTube channel. Merve offers a quiet study environment to work with her and motivate you to start, with ten-minute breaks every 50 minutes.
The body-doubling technique is especially beneficial for individuals with ADHD, as it provides external structure and helps with task initiation and follow-through. Body doubling is commonly used for work, studying, household chores, and organizing tasks.
How or what finally prompts you to start a task, project, or activity that you would otherwise avoid? I find the subject of motivation intriguing and would like to hear your thoughts about it if you care to do so.
About Cathy Sevier
Cathy Sevier has been helping people simplify their lives and get organized for over 16 years. As the founder of Scattered Possessions, she provides a compassionate and encouraging environment for clients facing their toughest organizational challenges. Known for her calm demeanor, patience, and kindness, Cathy helps her clients reclaim their time and focus on what matters most. You can learn more about Cathy here.
How to Get Organized: 7 Ideas to Encourage Family Members to Start and Finish Tasks
I found that making a master "to-do" list at the beginning of a week results in a more productive week because I prioritize tasks for each day. This method works well for me and helps me act, persist, and finish those jobs. Goals and/or tasks, written down, tend to get accomplished, whereas thoughts alone may drift away and remain unacted on.
Project lists may vary between individuals due to varied interests and objectives. A high-ranked task for me may not appear on another person's list.
Examples of my list toppers for family members:
Donate at least half of an abundance of shirts stored in the closet, of which 10% are frequently worn and the rest "hang on."
Decrease the number of containers filled with duplicate household items and stacks that reach toward the ceiling and await a new home elsewhere.
Remove a 1960's era car that sits idle and wastes away in the garage, while new cars live outside, exposed to hail, rain, and heat.
Reduce the abundance of hobby items jammed into the garage, acquired over numerous years and abandoned as new interests emerge.
Recycle or shred stacks of dated documents from years ago that no longer serve a useful purpose and continue to spread over the desktop, or shift from one side to the other, and grow higher daily.
Replace the decrepit garage door well past its prime.
Sell or donate Vietnam-era stereo equipment which resides in the recesses of the closet or garage, not turned on nor touched for decades.
Have you tried or experienced the following, without results?
Repeatedly requested that family members: remove unused articles from the garage; reduce unworn articles of clothing that clog the closet; and decrease the clutter from flat surfaces (desktop, kitchen table, countertops, and floor, etc.).
Constantly thought about projects placed on the "back burner" and ignored.
Continually organized and sorted scattered items and multiples of the same type of products and tools into like groups, and cut down the many empty containers in the garage, only to have them increase again?
Ideas that may help family members jumpstart projects or smaller tasks--high on my list, low or non-existent on theirs.
"Plant a seed."
Suggest they take pictures of unused stereo equipment and advertise the components on E-Bay or Craig's List; find someone interested in restoration or donate the stereo pieces.
Perform Internet research for desired services then offer those options to family members for further action.
Ask how you might help your family member move forward on their project.
Mutually agree on a date to start and finish the task or project.
Gather articles needed for project implementation and completion; label containers for trash, recycling, and donation. Silence phones, computers, and other electronics to lessen interruptions.
Engage your patience, encouragement, compassion, and empathy.
Encourage family members to reduce their abundance of possessions...now…so that their loved ones are not left with that responsibility in the event of a medical problem/emergency or catastrophe which prevents them from taking care of it themselves.
Please share ideas or tips that have worked for you to engage your family members in starting, working on, and completing tasks/larger projects.
Messy Sock Drawer
Five reasons it makes sense to organize your sock drawer:
1. Your sock drawer looks like this:
2. Socks removed from the dryer are thrown into a messy drawer...sock hunt required later.
3. Two socks are selected without turning the light on; crossed ankles in a seminar later that morning reveals one black and one blue sock.
4. Purchasing of a new pair of socks is easier than digging through the stuffed sock drawer to find mates.
5. Annoyance is experienced because of the reasons noted above.
Even though I fold and put away clean clothes right away...usually...sooner or later my socks end up jumbled. I decided to try out the drawer dividers pictured below before recommending them to clients.
Five reasons I like these drawer dividers:
1. It only took a few minutes to remove all socks from the drawer, sort and pair matching socks, discard singles, and insert the dividers.
2. Neatly arranged socks take up less space than a bunch of socks tossed in a drawer.
3. Specific type and color of socks are easy to select...at a glance; no mismatched sock surprise after arrival at work.
4. It is only necessary to buy new socks when a different color is needed, or socks wear out.
5. Satisfaction is derived from the one small change--organizing your sock drawer--no wasted time in mate matching.
Note: Purchase sock drawer dividers online, or at Bed Bath & Beyond and The Container Store, for example.
Paperwork Past Its Prime
Paper, in some form, arrives daily in most households. True?
Advertisements, bills, junk mail, magazines, donation requests, and newspapers are received by mail; documents are brought home from work and/or school; and business cards, fliers, and pamphlets are collected at business networking meetings, expositions, and trade shows. Upon arrival, the tendency is to lay the paper object on the nearest chair, couch, desktop, or kitchen counter with the intention of taking care of it...later.
Sometimes, years may elapse and many miscellaneous papers lie around, multiply, and may spread into other rooms. Eventually, the time is right, or an occasion arises and the paper finally gets some attention. Hours upon hours are needed to sort, review, and dispose of the amassed paper collection. Recently, I helped a client process decades’ worth of papers, and inspired me to write this cinquain poem:
Papers
Many Saved
Reading, filing, recycling
Stack up, clutter minds, cause disorder
Toss!