Backstory: I feel like I’ve done this Nudge before. Or maybe that’s because this task seems to have a permanent spot on my To Do List.
Before.
Work projects, personal projects, receipts to be entered, reminders scribbled on scraps of paper, multiple versions of To Do Lists, articles to be read, notes for articles to be written…. No wonder my poor brain feels scrambled!
This week I want to clear space both physically and mentally. I hope I can post a lovely “After” photo soon.
What Happened: OMG, I did it. Seriously, I’m impressed with myself because Monday morning, as I got my work week started, as I looked at the To Do List, I thought, Screw this. I’ll just put everything on the floor or move it to the dining room table and cheat.
Instead, every day I devoted at least 20 minutes to tackling the top of any stack and getting things handled. At the risk of sounding like our mothers, I’ll also confess that I practiced putting items (file folders, calculator, pens, sticky notepads) away in their places as soon as I was done using them. Step by step, piece by piece.
The Ah-Hahs: This morning when I came into the office, this is what greeted me:
After.
For the first time in ages, I started a day not stressed, not in total overwhelm, but calm.
This feels sooooooo good. 🙂
Congratulations!! 🙂
I’ve made a concerted effort to keep clutter from piling up since we moved into our condo. (a) It looked so nice & clean when we first moved in & got all our stuff unpacked & put away — I wanted to keep it that way…!) & (b) there’s not a lot of room for excess stuff — and because it’s a small space, any clutter that IS around tends to be more noticeable!
There is certainly something to be said for moving to a smaller space and being forced to declutter. Not planning to move any time soon, so I just need to get this done on my own. It’s a little weird seeing open space, but I like it. the challenge is to not re-fill it! 😉