This is the 6th article in the series Lifestyle Organizing (only 1 more article to go in this series, yay!). You will find a complete list of topics at the bottom of this article. We are almost through with the discovery phase of Lifestyle Organizing. Remember-examining various areas of your life will help you discover useful and valuable information about yourself. Collectively, this information will enable you to reflect your true self in your unique, sustainable, organizing plan. In this article you will examine the last area of your life that is crucial before you actually start making and implementing your Lifestyle Organizing Plan.
Discovering Your Challenges
Do you know your personal challenges or obstacles that could interfere with accomplishing your goals?
First, let me note that there is a lot I could say about this topic. The purpose of this article is to encourage you to explore your potential pitfalls. It is my hope that once you have insight into those, you would resolve your personal challenges. Hopefully, this will propel you to great accomplishments.
I will mention and briefly explain some common obstacles. If you did any of the previous Take Actions from this series, you may have already discovered some issues that currently are preventing you from achieving your goals. There may be others that are unique to you but I hope this article serves as a launching pad to help you in this area. So let’s jump right into the Take Action…
Take Action!
While performing this action-use these guidelines: Be Authentic, Keep An Open Mind, Make It Simple, Be Realistic, Learn to Say NO, Make It Fun, and Reward Yourself. There are 6 common areas of potential obstacles. Reflect on each one as well as any others that come to mind.
1. Yourself
Sometimes our biggest obstacle is ‘our self’. There are a large number of potential issues regarding our ‘psyche’ – from simple ones that are easily remedied to more difficult ones that require more in-depth understanding and solutions. (If you feel that your personal obstacles are beyond what you can handle, please seek the help of a professional – i.e. Professional Organizer, Counselor, Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Financial Planner).
Here are a few things to contemplate…
- Attitude
~ Do you have a positive ‘self-talk’?
~ Do you rise up to meet your challenges?
~ What is your general outlook on life?
~ Are you willing to explore new ideas and ways of doing things?
~ Are you a people pleaser? Have trouble saying no?
- Misconceptions- maybe there are some beliefs you hold that are stifling your progress.
~ People are ‘born organized’ and since you are not, that you are doomed to stay disorganized.
~ You must fit into a certain style or mode of organizing-“the one-way-fits-all” myth.
~ You have to keep everything ‘just right’ or ‘perfect’.
~ It costs a lot of money to get organized.
~ Professional Organizers will judge you or “tell all”.
~ Any others???
- Trouble Focusing
~ Easily distracted
~ Forgetfulness
~ ADD/ADHD
2. Time
Do you just need more T I M E? Here are a few things to contemplate…
- Time Clutter – do you suffer from overdoing, overachieving, time-wasting, or perfectionism?
- Lack of Planning – not taking the time to plan, unrealistic or misjudging the amount of time involved.
- Failure to Adequately Prioritize – your use of time doesn’t match your priorities.
- Procrastination – you delay doing the things you should be doing.
- “Have-To” versus “Want-To” – do you maintain a proper balance between your “Have-to`s” and your “Want-to`s”?
- Excessive Multi-Tasking – do you lose time and efficiency by jumping back and forth between multiple tasks too frequently?
3. FinancesDo you just need more M O N E Y? Assuming you made a budget, here are a few things to contemplate…
- Do you have trouble with impulse buying?
- Have you intentionally trimmed wasteful spending?
- Do your life priorities match your spending patterns/habits?
- Can you increase your income?
- Can you decrease your expenses?
4. Environment, Family Dynamics and Stage of LifeHere are a few things to contemplate…
- What’s your comfort level with your space? Does it make you feel peaceful?
- Is your home cluttered and you don’t know where to start?
- Do you have to fit all your belongings in a small space?
- Do you have children or parents living with you?
- Do you have family members with special needs?
- Are you at a point in life where you need to downsize or right-size?
5. Trial and Error, Life ExperiencesEvery challenge is an opportunity to learn and grow through your life experiences. What has life taught you? What works for you and doesn’t work for you? Here are a few things to contemplate…
- I’ve learned not to go shopping with _____ because I wind up buying more stuff than I need.
- I learned to put my workout clothes next to my shoes so I don’t forget them in the morning.
- I’ve learned that I am more motivated to stay organized when I work one-on-one with a partner or coach.
- I’ve learned that I prefer to do work by myself but need some advice or guidance.
- I’ve learned that I get more done when I write things down and put it on my calendar.
- Etc., etc., etc.
6. Support SystemHaving a good support system in place will make a difference to your success. What people do you have in your life to encourage and support you? Here are a few people to contemplate…
- Spouse and family
- Good friend
- Professional Organizer
- Life Coach
- Other professionals
Whew!-that’s it for now. If you honestly assess and identify your challenges, then the solutions will probably be apparent to you. Some of the solutions will be easier to implement than others. You will see how your challenges impact your plan in the next article.
Next Week’s Topic
The Plan: Putting It All Together
I’ll leave you with this:
When everything is coming your way, you’re in the wrong lane. ~ Steve Wright
You can do this and we can do it together!
Please leave a comment. What are your thoughts? I would love to know if you’re doing the “Take Actions” and if you find them helpful. Thanks and until next time…
Topics covered in this series:
- Introduction: Lifestyle Organizing-A New Way to Think
- Guidelines for Lifestyle Organizing
- Discovering Your “Life” Style (Part 1) (Part 2) (Part 3)
- Discovering Your Challenges
- The Plan: Putting It All Together
Candy Stuber, Owner of Live Unscrambled helps you simplify, organize, and enjoy your life with professional coaching and hands-on organizing services.