GETTING ORGANIZED
Naomi Sutton, EAP counselor Hawaii Employee Assistance
Services
Is
your New Year's resolution to be more organized in 2002? In
today's hectic world, many people complain of feeling
"stressed out," "overwhelmed," and "exhausted." Women, in
particular, feel torn between the demands of family and
employer. The result may be a sense that one is "on a
treadmill," "going nowhere," "just keeping my head above
water." Ultimately, as time passes, a sense of frustration,
and even depression sets in. The individual feels that he or
she is living day-to-day, barely coping with daily demands and
never able to accomplish things beyond daily tasks.
Getting organized is not about time
management. It is about getting control of your life to
maximize your sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. Most
people feel the problem is they have "too much to do and too
little time to do it." It would be more accurate to say that
there are always more things to do than any one person could
hope to accomplish. The individuals who feel the most
satisfied are those who select among ail things to do, those
tasks that best reflect their values and move toward their
personal goals. This does require some investment of time.
About 10-15 minutes each day is spent by organized people in
listing and prioritizing immediate and short-term goals.
Long-term goals may be done annually: some of us refer to
these as "New Year's Resolutions." Too few people give any
thought to lifetime goals once they pass adolescence.
When our goals and actions are determined
by our values, we usually feel good about ourselves. If family
relationships are important to you, for example, spending more
time with your spouse and children, helping a distressed
family member, or repairing a strained relationship might be
some of your priorities. It is essential to re-examine your
values periodically as they often change over time. By
identifying as many values as possible, we can try to set
goals that satisfy more than one value at a time.
Here are some helpful hints to help
you get started at becoming more organized:
-
Use "To Do" lists on a daily basis. A
weekly, monthly and annual list may also be useful.
-
Prioritize your list by asking the
following questions:
-
What task will I feel relieved to have
accomplished? What task will become obsolete by tomorrow?
-
What task will I feel most satisfied to
have accomplished? What task is the most difficult,
unpleasant, boring, etc.? • Tackle the most difficult tasks
when you have the most energy.
-
Break down large tasks into 5-15 minute
subtasks. The more unpleasant the task, the more subtasks
you may create. Reward yourself for accomplishing the
subtasks.
-
Experiment with different strategies and
learn what works best for you.
-
Organize your space and time at work and
home. Put the things you use the most in a convenient
location and always put them back in the same place when you
are done. Create files for all documentation and projects.
Clear up your space before moving on to the next activity.
Don't do personal things when you are scheduled to work.
-
Learn to say "no." Be careful not to
allow other people's "emergencies" to distract you from
completing your tasks. Learn to say no in a polite, but firm
manner: "I would really like to help you with that, but I
have something I must do for my boss today. If you can come
back tomorrow or (better yet) schedule some time with me so
that it's on my calendar, I would be more than happy to help
you."
Remember, if you make a sincere effort to
implement these strategies and continue to feel overwhelmed,
consider a private consultation at the EAP. An EAP Counselor
can provide individualized assistance to you based on your
particular situation. Contact any HEAS office near you to
schedule an appointment.
HAWAII EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE SERVICES
Oahu-543-8445 Maui-877-9835
Kona - 323-2664
Hilo - 93.5-2188
Kauai - 245-5914 Molokai
Lanai & Waimea (Big
Island) (800) 994-3571
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