The Real Reason You Feel Stuck
Getting organized seems like it should be easy enough. It’s something good you can do for yourself. Yet you don’t start, or you start and give up.
Whether organizing, simplifying your life or work–or when you feel stuck about anything–it’s about the self-talk. You talk yourself right out of it because you have a fear of getting stuck.
You might not even know you are stuck. It might look and sound like something else. For example, “I don’t have the time,” or “just as soon as…”
Why Am I Stuck?
Being stuck stems from fear. People are afraid of many things, including the fear of being stuck. Most of the fears are not real but are issues that are blown out of proportion. It’s the default way we protect ourselves – avoiding situations and things outside of our comfort zone.
Here are the top three fears that hold you back.
Almost every one of my clients has experienced one of these three fears. And they all boil down to fear of not being good enough. I want to put each fear in its’ place so you know where it is if you ever actually need it. But I hope you will be able to let the fear go once you recognize it for what it is.
1. You are afraid of doing it wrong.
Fear of not knowing how, or fear that you are doing something wrong can hinder even the simplest things.
Here is the thing. No one is born knowing how to organize. It is a learned skill, and if you can drive a car, you can get organized. Take a little time to learn easy systems, and you will be less likely to overlook things.
A good system will work with the other systems and routines in your world. Connecting the task with the big picture will help you know if you need to do it all.
Working with an organizer can help you save time by taking a lot of the trial and error out of the learning curve. A good organizer can customize on the fly based on your space, way of thinking, and specific needs.
3. You fear facing what is on the other side of the clutter.
Bad news, this one is true! Good news, it’s always exactly what you need and can be anything you want.
Bottom line is, the world will not end either way, but your daily situation will greatly improve if you face your fears and pick up your toys.
2. You are afraid of running out of time and stream.
If one task takes longer than you thought, it can feel like other things will fall through the cracks. The thought that you don't have the time or energy to complete all your tasks becomes overwhelming.
There are two reasons you run out of time before you finish your project. One is trying to do too much at once. The other is the slowness of your decision-making. Figuring this one out allows you to anticipate lots of things before they become urgent.
Pro Tip: Working with an organizer can help you save time by taking a lot of the trial and error out of the learning curve. A good organizer can customize quickly based on your space, way of thinking, and specific needs.
Speed up your decision-making by picking criteria for decisions. Having criteria gives you a sense of freedom to let go. You consider the consequences before you start so that you can take action. Practice by making easy decisions first, then the more difficult ones.
Contradictory as it may seem, you will get farther in your endeavors by taking small steps. Instead of organizing the kitchen, do just the upper cabinets in one session. Then work on the lower ones at another time.
By working in smaller segments, you can make adjustments when needed. This way, complete failure isn’t possible. Not so scary anymore, right?
The key to success is to honor the parts you have already finished. Consider them done and working. Then move to the next area.
Get Yourself Unstuck
If you’ve been feeling stuck, it may be due to one of many overblown negatives thoughts. All these fears come down to the central fear that we are inadequate somehow, which is why overcoming them can be a huge relief!
Once you realize your fears, there are simple steps to overcome each one. So go ahead and face yours head-on so you can finally get things done again!
Next, you need a communication plan.
To avoid interruption and make the most of your time savings, have a communication plan in place for the people you work with. Make sure they are aware of your expectations and standards from the start. Batch questions and check –ins into one regularly scheduled email, phone call or meeting.
Use the checklist to quickly review during the check in. Make adjustments as necessary. For more checklist ideas check out Easy and Effortless Systems.
Once the trust has been established, empower them to anticipate and suggest – always with a check in of course.
Soon you will feel almost perfect about your ability to accept help and be on top of things, You will be saving lots of time and focusing on the things you are great at, which is just more fun.
The Quick Start Organizing Series
