With so much going on in the last four months of 2012, a lot more had to be put on the back burner (again!). As I think about catching up and creating a joyful and productive 2013, several thoughts come to mind that might help us all begin and sustain the process of getting organized in the New Year.
Pause.
Take time to renew and restore from the busy-ness of the holiday season. Sleeping in, taking a long walk, reading a good book, watching a good movie, even taking a few deep breaths, can rejuvenate us as we ponder the coming months and what we’d like to do. It’s much easier to think straight and clearly when we are rested.
Praise.
Acknowledge all that you accomplished in 2012. Even the smallest task completed can uplift us if we only take the time to acknowledge that it has been done. I encourage my clients after each completion, large or small, to stop, affirm, and say a silent “Yay me!” Better still, say it out loud!
Ponder.
Think about what you’d like to experience more of in 2013—balance, harmony, clarity, order, joy, peace, freedom, simplicity. If all of the above, focus on 1 or 2 at first, and use them as guidelines as you make decisions. (See Conscious Order, pp. 38-40 for more.) My words for 2013 are simplicity and expansion.
Plan.
Keeping all our to-do’s swimming around in our mind can be very distracting and overwhelming. Take time to create a Master To Do List so that everything is out of your mind and onto paper or listed electronically (p. 273). It can be more manageable if the to-do’s are broken down into categories for quick reference.
Prioritize.
We can’t do everything at once. Decide what is most important for you to do in the next few weeks and don’t worry about the rest for now. This by itself can be less stressful. When it’s time to review your Master List, repeat this process.
Pace.
Sometimes going slower can have more lasting results. Go at YOUR pace, not the pace that someone else has imposed on you. If there are deadlines, these can be useful, especially for those of us for whom target dates inspire higher levels of productivity.
Purge.
Create room for current projects and records. Move last year’s financial records to a “prepare for taxes” box, for example, or clear out an over-stuffed file drawer for easier access and use for current and future projects.
Prepare.
Many of my clients and students prepare an “Affirmation Space” or “Reminder Space” that is cleared off and kept clutter-free (pp. 52-55). Meaningful objects can be thoughtfully placed there, but if horizontal surfaces become “magnets” for clutter, commit to keeping this space clutter-free for awhile. It can remind you of the new order you are creating, and it affirms a “yes-I-can” energy that can be quite powerful!
Praise.
Yes, this is a repeat. Take time to acknowledge anything you do that is helping you prepare for the New Year…and each project, large or small, that is completed as the year progresses. What you are grateful for increases. Be thankful for the new order you are creating.
Be Gentle With Yourself…Change Takes Time.
Speaking of being gentle, let us not only be gentle and kind to ourselves, let us make a conscious effort to be gentle and kind to others—to everyone we meet. Let’s each do our part to make the world a better place.
(P.S. All of the concepts here are discussed more fully in my book. That’s why I’ve included some page references.)
Affirmation:
I am creating the order and peace of mind I desire.
