I'm guest blogging this week at my friend Shannon's site. Check it out at http://snipurl.com/e6i52

Keeping the Focus

Well, it's only been a week and I have to say that I am already struggling with my new journey to "do less and be more". With a family vacation 2 weeks away and several deadlines to meet before we leave I've found myself very focused on my "to do" list.

I suppose it seems contrary for an organizer to be encouraging you to take the focus off of your list of things to do. However my goal is not to ignore my "to do" list but to tweak it so that more things, or should I say people, make the list that really matter.

I did do a few things right this week and the reward was great. While having coffee with a close Friend I turned off my phone so that I could completely focus on our time together. No beeps interfered with our conversation. We had a great talk and I left feeling good about our time together.

I also stopped myself several times when my mind wandered as someone told me something. I brought myself back to the moment and remembered that the most important thing for me to do at that time was to focus on this person and what they were saying. I ended up feeling relaxed after those conversations instead of my usual stressed and rushed feelings that I have while thinking "I hope they hurry up and finish because I have X, Y and Z to do!

For many, perfectionism is a stumbling block. I believe that letting go of this perfectionism is key to balancing what we do and how we spend our time. Wanting everything to look perfect and be perfect all the time is mentally and physically exhausting. The next time you find yourself "overdoing" it for the sake of perfection stop and think how your time might be better spent with your family or a close friend. Chances are that the energy you get from an exchange with someone you love will benefit you much more than the satisfaction you feel from making some"thing" perfect.

It's clear to me that I will need some guidance to make this work in my own life and so I am going to start by reading Enough Already!: Clearing Mental Clutter to Become the Best You by Peter Walsh. Walsh is a best selling author and Organizing Guru. You may have seen him on Oprah or Clean Sweep. His books usually make a lot of sense to me and this one looks like it is right in line with my new goal.

Join along and read it with me if you like. I will be blogging about the book and what I am using from it to help me along this process.

Keep an eye out for my next blog where I will talk about getting ready for my trip. I will be sharing some of my packing and planning tips with you. In the mean time, I hope you will join me as I continue to try to "do less and be more".

Valerie

On Sunday the Pastor at my church quoted Charles Swindoll, Wisdom for the Way: Wise Words for Busy People a well known author who has said, “Busyness destroys relationships. It substitutes shallow frenzy for deep friendship. It feeds the ego but starves the inner man. It fills a calendar but fractures a family. It cultivates a program that plows under priorities.

Everyone says that the older you get the quicker times seems to go by. Why, because as we age we have more responsibilities and being busy makes the time go by more quickly. While children who have fewer responsibilities and hopefully fewer commitments have time to just be.

It seems to me that being busy has turned into a competition. When friends get together they talk about how busy they are and all of the activities they are involved in and commitments they have. It spills over into the lives of children as well as we schedule their every moment signing them up for lessons and sports and play dates. Do you ever talk to a friend who replies when you ask what they’ve been up to, “Oh not much, just hanging out and enjoying my family.” More likely your friend rattles off all of the committees they are on the projects they are involved in and all the events they attend.

What’s the cost of all this chaos? Aren’t relationships what matters most in life? Are we sacrificing our relationships with family and friends because of our notion that we must be busy “doing” all the time?

We use this busyness as an excuse, an excuse to get out of spending time with others or for not nurturing relationships. I know I am guilty of using the excuse with friends and family that “things have been crazy”. “That’s why I haven’t called or come to see you.”

Is life meant to be leisurely enjoyed or hurried through? Are things on our “To do” list more important than the people in our lives? Will it matter in the end how many “things” we got done or how many other souls we made contact with?

I am going to try and make some changes in my life. I am going to start looking at my list of “things to do” as secondary to the people in my life. I am going to spend more time just “being” instead of “doing”. I am going to stop using the excuse of being busy for not nurturing my relationships.

I hope you will join me on this journey to slow down and focus on the people not the process and to do less and be more.

Valerie

Simply Organized Workshop

There were 15 people last night at the Simply Organized Workshop. We had a great time sharing organizing ideas. I really enjoyed spending th evening with you and I hope to hear from you. Remember as you continue on your organizational journey to let go of perfectionism and create systems that work for you and your family. If you have any questions or comments please let me know!

Happy Organizing!
Valerie