Ninety percent of getting organized is getting motivated

My friend Nancy and I have discovered time management guru Jeffrey J. Mayer. Well actually, Nancy discovered Mayer in a thrift store and shared him with me. Nancy paid twenty-five cents for the book she found and I have already spent twenty-five dollars on gas trying to chase down the rest of his (out of print) books. Of course I could order copies online, but I have to have the books right now (see previous posts for my obsession with books).

After three used book stores and two chains I gave up and resorted to the library, and you should know I am desperate for a book when I use the library, because it doesn't involve spending money. That's not exactly true this time, though. Before I could check the Mayer book out I had to pay a $1 fine I had from 2003. Anyway, we are hooked on Jeffrey.

I should be ashamed of myself for confessing the state of my personal and work life because I teach a get organized class If you don't use it, lose it at the local community college. But the state of my everyday affairs are driving me nuts and I'm not sure when I lost control. Somehow, I fell off the declutter wagon and never felt the fall. I have been carrying a plastic bag full of mail and bills to work and back everyday for weeks thinking I will work on them at lunch, only to carry them back home each night untouched because, well, I didn't have time.

In less than thirty minutes after I read the first two chapters of Mayer's If you haven't got the time to do it right, when will you find the time to do it over I tore through my office and my file cabinets in the workroom like a tornado. In less than two hours I had almost filled a 50 gallon tub for the commercial shredder. The following day I cleaned and deleted over 300 files off of my computer (mostly photos) I had stored for PR that I hadn't touched in months. I love to exaggerate, but I tell you the truth here. I can't tell you how liberating all of this was. I opened my office door on the second day and felt air, there was room to breathe not only in my office, but in my mind.

Here's what Mayer said directly to me in his book. You don't have to keep every single piece of paper and file in case someone asks for or needs it later. It's okay to say "I'm sorry I don't have that," especially when it isn't my job to have it. Whew, what a load off that was!

I am a list maker. I encourage list making. But Mayer has a different approach to using lists to stay focused. He uses a master list and it is ongoing. I made a master list for the office and a master list for my personal life. Suddenly, little projects that have been weighing on me day and night seemed like a breeze to complete. Friday, after reading the chapter on procrastination, I took care of a bit of personal business in 30 minutes that I had put off for three months.

But you know something? Mayer didn't say all that much that I didn't already know, really. I just needed motivated and his book did the trick. I have books by Julie Morganstein, The Slob Sisters, I have used all of these as helps when I teach decluttering. One thing I emphasize in my class is you can know all the tricks of the trade to get organized but if you don't get motivated and stay that way your life and mind are always going to be cluttered.

Well, for whatever reason I'm back on track now. I’m motivated and I’m getting organized again.

Thanks Jeffrey J. Mayer . . . and move over!