When I Don't Have Any Motivation Left

Half of my job is keeping you motivated to continue or finish the project at hand. I keep us on track, pulling you back from whatever distraction has walked across our organized path. But, what happens when I'm not around? I often assign homework to be tackled in between appointments. How best to keep yourself from sitting down and watching more Netflix? Well, actually...just that.

Reward yourself, in small ways, for a job well done. Reinvigorate yourself and get a burst of energy, no matter how small it may be. Create a plan that includes increments of success: first, clear the bookshelf, then the desk top, then the desk drawers, then the pile of papers on the floor next to the desk, etc. After each step is tackled, you'd ideally move on to the next. But, if you're already fatigued and distracted, do one of these things:

1) Have a bathroom break. Seriously. Even if you don't need to use the facilities, brush your teeth. Wash your hands. Splash some water on your face. All will give you a quick little lift.

2) Have a small snack. My sister, a dietitian, would say something like grapes and almonds. That would be awesome. But, if it happens to be a couple cookies, I'm in no way going to judge. (Because cookies are the best).

3) Dance break! I'll be honest; I've never done this with a client. But, I do it at home, by myself far more often than I should probably admit. One or two songs is enough time to give you a break, dance out your frustration, and jump right back into organizing, without tiring yourself out. If dancing is not your thing, try walking around the block once or twice or some jumping jacks.

4) Watch a couple minutes of TV. As in, from one commercial break to the next. Watching something without commercials? Set a timer for no more than 7 minutes. Your reward to is to watch more after each step in your organizational plan.

5) Call a friend. Start the conversation by saying it's a quick call. You're just taking a break from organizing and need to not make decisions or move piles around for 5 minutes. Should you feel compelled, ask him/her to call back at a certain time to make sure you've finished the project.

Books!

A lot of people have a lot of books. It seems like an innocuous thing to have around the house: a small little thing that can sit on a shelf out of the way. A sign of knowledge or a good story. Or, both. The problem is, especially in the digital age we live in, those books tend to stack up and weigh down those shelves. They collect dust after months or years of never being picked up. So, let's reassess the situation.

1) Can you get this information somewhere else? The Internet is an endless supply of...well, everything. And, don't forget your local library and it's fabulous resources. Oh, and by the way, do you read everything on a tablet or e-reader now?

2) Does this book actually belong to someone else? People borrow and loan books all the time. Borrowed a book? Return it!

3) Did you like what the book had to say? Terrible story: donate it. Outdated information: donate it. Topic you no longer want to read about: donate it.

4) Is it awkward to store or ugly-ing up your room? Big books, misshapen books, books that are falling apart. These might not be worth the trouble of finding an appropriate spot to keep.

5) Is it more important to keep this book than the value of either storing something else there or enjoying the open space? That's the most important question to ask yourself.

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