Kimberly made a resolution to become more organized and be more conscious of how she spent her time. She was so motivated to be organized! She energetically de-clutter her closets and cupboards of things she no longer needed nor wanted. She loved the freeing feeling that came from walking into her house and knowing where everything belonged.
The purging continued, but the items she’d first organized started to slip into disarray. Little by little, things were not put away, she was wasting time, and she started to loose motivation to keep up with her home and schedule. Life started to get busy with her kids activities and her business became more demanding. When she came home at night, she would sit on the couch zoning out to the TV. And in the mornings, she’d spend time on her phone checking Facebook until she was running late.
Kimberly desperately wants to be organized, but she lost her motivation. She knows how good it feels to have some structure, but she can’t seem to get her energy flowing. She needs to get motivated and stay motivated. This is some insight as to how Kimberly [and you!] can find [re]newed motivation.
How to GET motivated & STAY motivated
Put it on your calendar
Seeing what you need to accomplish on your calendar gives you direction in the morning. Lack of motivation often comes from lack of direction. Planning out your daily tasks can give you vision and energy.
Have a visually stimulating environment
Everyone is more productive if they like the space they are working in. Many women who work from home, are guilty of moving the computer out of the office and into the kitchen. That’s usually because we feel more productive there due to the light, space, environment, etc. We are visually stimulated people and need to take that into account. Create a space that makes you feel productive. If it’s a cluttered mess, make that space your first priority for tidying up!
Use a system that’s best for you
Getting and staying organized is about having a system that works well for your lifestyle. If you start a system and it’s not working [give it two weeks to know for sure], try a new approach. You need a system that is realistic for you to maintain.
Set the timer for tasks
A ticking timer can keep you focused and motivated. It mentally helps you know that you only need to stay focused for a set time and then you get a break. It limits your distractions because you know there is an end in sight and you’re aware of how time passes. The Pomodoro technique supports that we are most productive by working in 25 minute time blocks with short breaks. The mind is more fueled if it has a chance to focus in and then rest.
Identify distractions
Many of us know what gets in the way of our productivity, we just choose not to see it or address it. Be honest about the distractions in your life, and be diligent and disciplined to address them. Phones are the biggest culprit of sucking away our time and we don’t even notice how the time flies!
Chart your progress
It can be motivating to see where you’ve come from and remember the sense of completion. Either note progress on your calendar, or start a chart that shows what you want to accomplish each day/week and check things off as you meet them.
Build in ‘me’ time or ‘people’ time
Whether you’re introverted or extroverted, you need to be re-fueled. For example, my husband needs to be alone to be re-generated, where as I am dragging when I haven’t been around people. I have to be intentional about scheduling times out of the office/house so I can be more productive when I’m home.
Know yourself
Be realistic about how you operate and how you function best. Think of a time when you were thriving in an activity or situation. What was working well that made that such a positive event? What works for your best friend or your mother-in-law, most likely won’t be what works for you. Know yourself and work within your limitations and strengths.
Have accountability
Ask a person you trust to check-in with you at certain times of the month to hold you accountable and on task.
Take time to for self care
Exercise and sleep make a world of difference in our energy levels. Take care of your body, get up and walk around for 30 minutes a day and eat one extra vegetable a day. It takes energy to create energy.
When Kimberly decided she loved order more than chaos, she started remembering how well she thrived when she put things on her calendar and left her phone in the other room when she got home from work. She knew what would make her successful, she just needed to do it. The little things have started to get her motivated to again.
More intentionality in the little habits makes a huge difference in the big habits.
Find you need motivation and accountability to clear the mental and physical clutter? Michelle specializes in helping women restore order and alleviate the overwhelming feeling caused by clutter in your life through in-home organizing and one-on-one coaching. Reach out to her here.
