The Art of Decluttering

I recently borrowed a book from the library entitled "The Joy of Less: A Minimalist Living Guide" by Francine Jay. It talks about how to declutter, organize and simply life.

I've read a few organization / decluttering books and so far this one is my favorite. It's very simple, easy to remember and, hopefully, easier to follow through.

The book tackled how our stuff can be categorized into 3:

1. Useful stuff - those that are practical and functional (our usual alibi for accumulating stuff)
2. Beautiful stuff - pleasing to the eyes (the main culprit for buying stuff)
3. Emotional stuff - those with sentimental value (who wouldn't want to keep souvenirs?!)

Most of the times I accumulate stuff because of their sentimental value (yes, I'm a bonafide pack rat). Other times because I see items on sale and assume that I could take advantage of the good deal even if there is no immediate use :(. After sometime, I feel like being smothered by so much stuff even if I have just "decluttered" a few months back! Add to that all the paper airplanes and boats that my two sons have piled up. It seems like the house is always filled with stuff - mostly unused and not useful.

The book stressed the importance of having less stuff and living with less stuff.

LESS STUFF = LESS STRESS

LESS STUFF = MORE FREEDOM

Who wouldn't want to have less stress in life, right? Who wouldn't want more freedom? Anything that talks about decluttering and organizing, I'm in it. It's the follow up that gets me into trouble. 

Probably most, if not all, moms / ladies (and some men and dads) also get stressed out from seeing to much clutter around the house (especially when you have kids around). It's like an endless quest to keeping our home organized and "livable". With this book, I feel that I'm REALLY one step closer to clutter freedom.

According to Francine (first name basis, we're friends???? hahaha), the key to serious decluttering and organizing is to STREAMLINE.

S- Start Over

T - Trash, Treasure or Transfer

R - Reason for each item

E - everything in its place

A - all surfaces clean

M - modules

L - limits

I - if one comes in, one goes out

N - narrow it down

E - everyday maintenance

Let me tell you more about this based on what I understand from the book.

STARTING OVER

• the key is to take EVERYTHING OUT
• emptying everything out, then bringing things back ONE BY ONE
• you're selecting what you TRULY LOVE and NEED
• the things we choose to surround ourselves tell our story - so choose wisely

I must say, starting over gives a really good perspective of all the things we have (depending on which room we want to do first) that we don't really need. All those old papers that I can't even remember why I kept.

TRASH, TREASURE, OR TRANSFER

• throw away things you don't need --> RECYCLE if possible
• TREASURE - things that you truly cherish for either their beauty or their functionality
• TRANSFER - perfectly good items that are no longer for you. If you haven't needed it yet, you likely never will.
• giveaway these items - donate to the less fortunate, pass on to friends
• put up a garage sale

We have taught the kids to recycle. All the scratch papers, old newspapers, finished workbooks and the likes go to the recycling corner. In six months, we call the "karangguni" (Singapore version of modern rag and bone men who come door to door to collect old, unwanted stuff) and sell the heap of papers we've collected. One time we got $8 (the highest we've gotten so far), the other time was $6.

We've also taught the kids to set aside things that they no longer need or want but are still in good condition, so we can donate them when there's an opportunity. It minimizes things going to waste, at the same time we are able to help others.

REASON FOR EACH ITEM

• deal with duplicates
• ask what is the item for and how often do you use it
• what is more valuable to you - the item or the space it occupies?
• it's valuable if 
• you use it often
• it makes your life easier
• you find it beautiful
• it would be more difficult to replace
• it's multi-functional
• it saves you time
• it's a cherished part of your heritage or family
• PARETO PRINCIPLE (80/20 rule) - we use 20% of our stuff 80% of the time

While decluttering one of our kitchen cabinets, I've realized we have so many things that we don't really use. Old plastic containers, containers without covers, etc. took up so much space from our cabinets. I've cleared most of them, and I think we were really left with only 20% of what was originally there. My husband, on the way to throw the trash, was wondering why all of a sudden I thought of getting rid of all the stuff I used to want to collect. I just said we didn't need them anymore, which was true. So now, I'm one step closer to have more space in our kitchen. That's a few more cabinets to clear out.

EVERYTHING IN ITS PLACE

• A place for everything, and everything in its place.
• consider when and how often you use it (putting items into zones)
• Inner Circle - space for frequently used items
• Outer Circle - for things used less often
• Deep Storage - outside of your living space
• when you leave a room, collect any stray items and return them to their rightful place

ALL SURFACES CLEAR

• if we don't have clear surfaces, we don't have space to do anything
• surfaces are not for storage

MODULES

• gather things of similar functions together, eliminate the excess, and make sure they're easy to access and move around when needed
• consolidate, cull and contain our stuff
• transparent containers let's you see what's inside

LIMITS 

• Remember: You are not what you own

IF ONE COMES IN, ONE GOES OUT

• most effective when applied to like items (eg. bags, shoes)

NARROW IT DOWN

• The holy grail of minimalist living
• owning just enough to meet our needs and nothing more
• MINIATURIZING - saving a piece of the item instead of the whole thing

EVERYDAY MAINTENANCE

• what we've started we must continue to do
• keep STREAMLINE-ing

Let's take up the challenge. Now is the time to declutter our homes and our lives :) 

Time Management for Manic Mums by Allison Mitchell

I found this book - Get Control of your life in 7 weeks. Time Management for Manic Mums - from the library in Hougang (646.700852 MIT). I've always been interested in books about home organizing, personal development, and the likes, so I gave a it a shot.

I read through the first few pages and I liked the way the author (Allison Mitchel) writes. She is humorous and since she gets the examples from her own experiences or her friends' experiences, I can easily relate to them.

The book is divided into 7 chapters which represent the 7 weeks of changes that moms (and other busy people for that matter) need to do in their lives. Each chapter begins with Time Truths. I will be blogging about her book, taking the important points in every chapter (as much as I can), together with the tips, activities to do and the summary.

If I have some opinions or comments on any topic, I will probably write about it at the end of the blog per chapter, or in the comments section, so as not to confuse readers from what I have taken from the book. I will also try to update my progress as the weeks go by - if I have successfully done and applied what the book suggests.

Here are the chapters (in weeks) covered in the book.

Week 1: What's in Your Egg Timer: Sand or Gold Dust?

Week 2: Where did all my time go and please can I get it back?

Week 3: How much time do you want?

Week 4: Become the mistress of your own time

Week 5: Time management for the masses

Week 6: Put off procrastination

Week 7: Human doing to human being

Happy reading... and I hope everyone of us will be able to have good control (a.k.a. use) of our time by the end of 7 weeks. This book should also help us plan and visualize our dreams and goals.

Time Management for Manic Moms - Week 7: Human Doing to Human Being

Time Truth 7: If you can live in the moment you can expand time

Are you a Doing or a Being?

• If you have implemented what you've learned, chances are you've been transformed into a lean, mean doing machine. You value your time. You know how you spend it and you've been the proud instigator of plans and systems that have licked your life into shape. You are getting everything done.
• In the midst of our organizing and doing, we sometimes forget to just enjoy ourselves, to just be, to savour the moment. We neglect to nourish ourselves and our souls.

RQT: Real Quality Time

• with "doing" out of the way, you can now move your focus towards "being"
• In the state of being you can expand time by totally immersing yourself in every moment. You can start to make more of your quality time.

Time is like a box of chocolates

• Understanding you own natural tendencies when it comes to the way you devour time will ultimately determine your ability to savour it.
• Exercise - Just a minute. Use a digital watch, or have someone keep time for you. Close your eyes and open them when you think a minute has passed. (No counting elephants in your head please!). See if you know how long a minute is. Do you open your eyes too soon? Did your minute seem to take a long time to pass? If so, maybe you're rushing through other things, too. Let this give you an idea of how well your body clock is calibrated with time.

Are you in a Good State or a Right State?

• Our baseline state is a bit like our resting heart rate; it's how we are most of the time.
• Your baseline state will affect how you interact with time and how you calibrate with your environment.
• How do you tend to move, think and feel most of the time? Do you usually feel at one with your activities and environment? Or is your state not conducive to this?
• PUT SCANNED PAGE HERE
• The more ticks you have on the left-hand side, the more likely you still have a lot of Manic Martha about you. Although you may be getting many things done, you probably aren't savouring what you do. 
• If you have more ticks on the right-hand side, you're more like Perfect Paula. With a clear head and a sense of direction you know everything's sorted for the future and will happen because you've planned it that way. You can set the scene for days where you can focus on just enjoying each moment as it comes.

The 7 Deadly Sins of Time Management - the sins that keep you from savouring your time

Sin One: IMPATIENCE

• lack of ability to keep your mind in one thing stops you from enjoying what you're doing.
• Your brain is always racing on to the next thing. You can't sit still and relax. (OUCH for me!)

Sin Two: GUILT

• Instead of enjoying what you're doing, you're busy beating yourself up about something else you think you should be doing instead.

Sin Three: KNOWING NO BOUNDARIES

• You're wound up like a spring.
• You find it difficult to relax into whatever you're up to at any given moment.
• You find it hard to switch from one thing to another.

Sin Four: BAD LANGUAGE

• You're always telling yourself that you're really busy and have no time. This bad language reinforces your belief that you're time-poor. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Sin Five: GLUTTONY (Always saying "Yes" to More)

• You don't know how to say No.
• You often end up with so much on your plate you can't cope up with it all.
• With too much, piled too high, you find it hard to focus  on or enjoy any of it.

Sin Six: TREADMILLING

• You're on an uphill treadmill. You do the same old things day in, day out. Everything rolls into one.
• The mundane nature of your routine makes it difficult for you to engage with it in a satisfying way.

Sin Seven: LUST

• You have a roving eye. 
• You are constantly distracted and so you can't savour the moment.

Simple Sin Solutions

Solution One: FEEL PRESENT

• think back to your Time Line. Stand up and put yourself in the place that represents your present. How do you feel as you stand there? What do you see and what do you hear?
• If you had to describe a representation of your present, what would you say about it?
• If you had to describe it (your present) to someone else, what would you say? If you could think of a symbol of a metaphor to describe it, what would it be?
• Think to yourself, what symbol would better serve me right now if I wanted to savour the moment more? Then choose to focus on feeling like that.

Solution Two: ANCHOR PRESENCE

• Imagine if you had a built-in switch so that whenever you wanted to feel present to what you were doing you could.
• It works because it gives you a choice about how you feel.
• Time management is about choice and focus. You can choose to focus on feeling present and savouring your time or you can choose to focus on feeling hurried and manic.
• It empowers you to make a choice. Learn how to feel present and then choose to feel that way. Here's how:
1. Think of a situation where you don't feel totally present, but would like to.
2. Decide how you would like to feel instead. For example, perhaps you would like to feel calm and engaged.
3. Recall a time from your past when you really felt that way.
4. As vividly as you can, as you recall a time when you had the desired feeling, take in all the sounds, all the sights and all the feelings from that memory. Concentrate on experiencing this as intensely as you can. (It might help to close your eyes).
5. Stop concentrating and shake yourself gently, just to break the feeling.
6. Think about something you could use to trigger this positive feeling. An example might be clenching your fist, or putting your thumb and forefinger together.
7. Repeat Step 4 and relive the desired feeling as intensely as you can. Do this ten times.
8. When the feeling seems at its most intense, "fire" the trigger you thought of in Step 6.
9. Stop concentrating on the memory. Shake yourself gently to break the feeling.
10. Test to see if the trigger works by recalling the situation where you lacked presence, identified in Step 1. As you think about it, "fire" your trigger. It should switch you into the positive feeling instantly. If not, repeat Steps 7 to 10.

Solution Three: RELAXATION and MEDITATION

• Taking a few moments every now and again really helps to ground you.
• If you regularly practise meditation or some form of relaxation, you will learn how to become more focused on and engaged in what you are doing.
• "little and often" is the motto again
• The Garden of Tranquility
• Find yourself somewhere quiet and comfortable where you will not be disturbed. In your imagination you are about to visit the most beautiful, relaxing and tranquil garden in the world.
• Close your eyes and just let go. Let every part of your body relax, from your toes to the crown of your head. When you feel as relaxed as you can, let yourself become ten minutes more relaxed. In your mind's eye take yourself to your own Garden of Tranquility. In this garden the weather is perfect. The sky is clear and blue. Feel the warmth from the golden sun on your every limb. Just notice the relaxing sounds you hear, the smells. As you sink deeper into what feels like the most comfortable chair you've ever sat in, be aware of the colours and landscape in this mystical garden. As you relax, your breathing becomes deeper and slower. Enjoy the wonderful moments that you spend in your garden, knowing that while you're here there's nothing to be done, other than relax. Spend as long as you want in your garden. Only when you are ready, gently come back to the moment, refreshed and raring to go.

Solution Four: GUILT BE GONE

• Guilt is a useless emotion. The only thing it does is allow us to feel self-righteous as we punish ourselves with mental beatings about things we've chosen to do in the past. Things that we thing we shouldn't have done.
• While you're thinking "should have", "could have" and "would have", it's hard to be present. Your thoughts are somewhere else. That place is the past, with an event that has happened. You have no control over your past. Why waste time focusing on it?
• Guilt, the useless emotion
• Don't waste time fuzzying your focus by justifying choices you've made in the past. 
• Think about how you can get more control by making better choices about the things that currently make you feel guilty.
• Feeling guilty won't give you more time. Be bold and committed about the choices you make, rather than feeling guilty about them.
• If we feel guilty about something, it leaves us unable to enjoy fully whatever we're doing.
• By making a plan, taking ownership of it and implementing it you put yourself back in control and are better able to deal with guilt.
• It's all about where you direct your energy and emotion. Do you direct yours positively by taking ownership and responsibility for the choices you make, or do you use them up worrying and feeling guilty?
• Exercise: Getting rid of guilt
• Think of one thing you do with your time that makes you feel guilty. The guilty feeling then prevents you from being totally engaged in what you're doing.
• Mentally take responsibility for the fact that you are choosing to undertake the activity.
• Ask yourself, "How do I want to feel instead of guilty?"
• Choose to feel the way you would rather feel. Focus on feeling like that.
• What else can you do to get control of the situation you're in, so you no longer have a need to feel guilty? Think of 3 things that will put you in control
• When you lose the guilty feeling you will be able to feel more present and savour what you are doing.

Solution Five: READY, STEADY, FOCUS

• Sometimes just setting intent to focus can be really helpful. Think about setting intent before the activity begins, to be fully present and to savour it.
• Challenge yourself to be present for just 5 minutes to start off with. Reward yourself when you succeed. Keep your focus in the present moment by really noticing what's around you. Gradually, keep increasing the length of time you feel focused for. Exercise your focus span.

Solution Six: BOUNDARY MANAGEMENT

• If you find that activities from different parts of your life seem to impinge on each other, making it hard for you to concentrate on only one of them, it might be helpful to put some boundaries in place.

Solution Seven: MENTAL MARKERS

• If you find it hard to separate out activities, think of some "mental markers" that will make it easier for you to switch from one to the other. That way you can be fully "in" whatever one you're undertaking. 
• For example, when you leave the office at night, the revolving door could be your first mental marker. That door means you're leaving work.

Solution Eight: GOOD LANGUAGE

• The language we use can have a profound effect on the way we feel.
• Here are some great examples of language that can make you feel rushed:
• I just haven't got time.
• I can't believe the holidays have gone already.
• I just don't know where the time went.
• I rush from one place to the next.
• I've just got too much to do.
• I never have a minute to myself.
• My body aches and needs help.
• Make a note each time you use a phrase that tells you you're hurried. Then say the phrase again, this time preceding it with the words "It used to be that..." Follow it with the words "... but I'm not like that any more."

Solution Nine: THE SHOWER OF POWER

• Positive affirmations - these will put you in a marvellous mental state, leaving you more open to being present.
• Affirmations are a statement of how you would like to be, but written in the present tense and positive in nature.
• Examples:
• I am calm and focused. I am present to all the activities that I choose to do. I know there is enough time to get everything done, in an orderly way.
• I always arrive where I'm going on time.
• I know how to enjoy every moment.
• My time passes at just the pace I want it to.
• Think of one affirmation that would override any negative affirmations you're carrying around in your head.
• Shower of Power - while you're douching your delectables, get your mental matter mustered and mutter your affirmations. What a great way to start the day.

Solution Ten: JUST SAY NO

• What kinds of things are you saying "Yes please" to when you'd rather be saying "No thank you"? Think of 3 recent things.
• List 3 situations that are likely to come up in the near future where you know you will want to say "No". How will you deal with these situations when they arise?
• The Keys to Setting a "No" Free
• Engage your brain - think before you speak.
• Put your sanity first - practise saying "no" to yourself in the mirror. That way, when it comes to the real thing you'll be well practised in how to do it.
• Yes but not yet - you're willing to say "yes" but not at this exact moment
• I'd like to but I can't - empathize, be assertive not aggressive. Explain why you can't do it.
• No I can't, but I know a man who can - be as helpful as you can
• No, I can't do that, but I can do...
• Remember, you have control over the choice that you make when you say "Yes" or "No".

Solution 11: TAME YOUR TO-DO DEMON

• "Wilma What's Next" - she reminds me of what I have to do next when I'm in the middle of what I'm dong. She doesn't want me to forget my schedule. This prevents me from being able to completely savour what I'm doing.
• Reassure your Wilma What's Next that you now  have a wonderful planning system which allows you to capture all that has to be done and everything is under control.
• Respectfully ask her to be quiet while you savour what you are doing.

Solution 12: PUNCTUATE TIME WITH GOLDEN EVENTS

• By creating memorable events that punctuate your Time Line, you can separate one chunk of time from another. There's spontaneity and excitement breaking up the routine events.
• Things to think about might be creating your own family traditions. Take time to savour the planning of holidays. "What can we do as a family, or as individuals, what will help this year stand out?"
• Have a family evening sorting out photos. What a wonderful way to savour what you've been up to!

Solution 13: REMOVE DISTRACTIONS

• Distractions are a fact of life at home and at work. The question is, how do we deal with these interruptions and distractions so we can focus?
• Excuse me, who's interrupting you? -- be aware that many of the interruptions we encounter in a typical day are self-inflicted. Notice which ones you're in control of and which ones you're not. Get rid of the ones you can control.
• Children -- one of the biggest complaints from mums is that they can't focus because their children are always around. If you want focus time without them distracting you, think about all your options for childcare. How about giving your other half, granny or a friend a regular time-slot with the children? Give other family members some RQT with the children so you can have some RQT with yourself. With older children you can ask them to wait, as you would if you were at work. Tell them that you will be free in 5 or 10 minutes. Be sure to follow through. You can even ask them to come back and remind you in 5 minutes. If you consistently do what you say, you will find children can be quite accommodating.
• Phone calls - please use the answering machines and screen your calls. Only answer if it's convenient.
• Get rid of items that distract you -- Start to notice what it is that distracts you. When you have this awareness you can begin to work out a plan to remove it.
• Ask people not to distract you -- tell people when you need a quiet time. Ask them not to call round or phone then.

Solution 14: BUFFER TIME

• If you get estimates right, it avoids the need to be rushing on to the next thing.
• Schedule lots of buffer time into you day, so that emergencies can be dealt with.
• Give yourself some contingency. When you're planning, add on up to 20% more time than you think a task will take.
• Do your most valuable activities first.
• You'll feel more present and in control, just by giving yourself a little bit more space to breathe and focus.

ABSOLUTION

• use the sin solutions and you'll find out what it is to live in the moment and savour every magical minute of every marvellous day.
• You have the tools, you have the techniques, you have the power of choice.
• The mum who paces herself will get more done, enjoy it more  and arrive at the finishing line in a better state.
• Each moment in your life creates your future, so make each one of them magical and create the future you desire, deserve and dream of.

A FINAL THOUGHT: WHOM ARE YOU BECOMING?

• What did I do today that was important to me?
• How did I savour today?
• What did I do today that will make positive ripples in my future?
• What future is your present creating for you? The choice is yours.

Actions for Week Six

• Look at your list of things you've been putting off. (5mins)
• Choose 2 of them to work on this week. One should be a small, achievable item - for example, spending ten minutes everyday playing one-to-one with your children. It could be putting up a picture that's been propped against the wall for months. The other should be a larger, more time-consuming project.
• Totally complete the small item. (5-20mins)
• Break the larger task down into manageable chunks. Put all the short-term actions into your Daily Diary. (10mins)
• Take at least one step on the larger project. (5-20mins) Remember, lots of small steps will move you forward.
• Don't put it off. Put the book down and start now!

Summary:

• To be or not to be? This is the question. Many of us are so busy doing we've forgotten how to just be.
• How you relate to time will affect your ability to savour it.
• There are Seven Sins in Time Management that will prevent you from savouring the moment: Impatience, Guilt, Knowing No Boundaries, Bad Language, Gluttony, Treadmilling and Lust.
• Each sin has a number of solutions that will absolve you, thus allowing you to savour the moment.

Tips

1. Practice saying "no" in the mirror - then when you get asked to do something you really don't have time for, the word "no" will roll easily off your tongue!
2. Don't waste time regretting things that have gone wrong.
3. Buy insurance for plumbing, heating, wiring, etc so you have 24-hour cover 365 days a year.
4. Lift-share wherever possible for the school run, after-school clubs or other activities.
5. Don't bring work home.
6. Clear your fridge of old food every other day before it becomes a permanent fixture.
7. Only iron what you really have to - ask yourself, "When I'm on my death bed, will I be glad I spent 10 minutes of my life ironing this particular garment?"
8. Are your children doing too many after-school activities? Are you all overscheduled?
9. Have a running shopping list, easily accessible to everyone.
10. The wastepaper bin is the most time-efficient filing system there is.

Time Management for Manic Moms - Week 6: Put Off Procrastination

Time Truth 6: The cost of putting things off is higher than the price of doing them


Just Do it

• if you're one of those people who look or think about their list and then promptly ignore it, you may be suffering from a common syndrome, known as DDS, or Dirty Dish Syndrome.
• sufferers of DDS have a tendency to put things off. 
• One of the symptoms of this affliction is severe pain, because the cost of putting off is higher than the price of doing them in the first place. This often leads to stress, disappointment and mayhem in the sufferer's life.

DDS (Dirty Dish Syndrome)

• Given the opportunity to do a task, the typical sufferer will choose not to.
• The currency in which you pay for not taking action isn't necessarily financial. It can be accounted for in all manner of ways.
• In the case of the dirty cup, it's effort and time, but procrastination can cost you your health, your finances and your relationship with your family.
• More often than not, the things we put off are our blueberries, items which fall into the valuable but non-urgent compartment of the shopping basket of life. Put off for too long, they can lead to cost and regret.
• Think of 3 things that you have put off in the past. Make a list. What did it cost you to put them off?

Why on earth do we put things off?

• We can rationalize the sensible nature of getting things done, but for some reason we still procrastinate. How bizarre.
• You are not totally in charge of your decision-making. You are influenced by something from within that makes your hand reach out and take the cake.

Your Internal Management Team

• the Inner Voice
• the Gremlin or Demon
• For the author, it's her Time Management Team (TMT) - has various players with differing voices
• You need to take charge of your Time-Management Team, because after all, it is your life.
• FANNY FUN - just wants to have fun. The only thing she wants in her near focus is fun.
• The Terrible Twins: DO IT LATER DELIA and COMPLACENT CAMILLA - they will assure you that you have plenty of time to do it later. Everything is under control. Do those things that are right in your focus now. That other stuff can wait a while.
• STELLA STRESS - she'll have you convinced that it's best to put as much off as possible, because of course you do your best under pressure. Keep everything out of your near focus until the very last minute.
• HILDA HABIT -she'll have you procrastinating like you don't know what, and you won't even have to think about it. The only things she wants in her near focus are things she's used to.
• LINDA LAZY - can't be bothered to get anything done. Everything's too much effort. Her motto: "No gain, no pain". The only thing she wants in her near focus is anything to make her life easy.
• The Gruesome Twosome: FREDA FEAR and PATRICIA PERFECTION - Patricia wants everything to be perfect, and Freda is frightened of failing. Between them, they'll persuade you to put things off until the last minute. That way you won't have time to do anything properly. You've got a fabulous excuse for failure and for not reaching perfection. What a team. They don't want anything in their near focus until it's too late to do it properly, giving them an excuse for not doing a great job.
• NINA NO-TIME - overwhelmed by the sheer size of any task, Nina will look at it and categorically tell you that there isn't enough time to get it all done. To justify herself, Nina will direct your attention to all the little, less important jobs you have to do. By bringing these into your near focus, Nina will make you feel like you're really busy. But we all know you're busy doing nothing all day long. Well, nothing of any importance anyway.
• CLARISSA CAN'T DO - will look at any task and tell you point-blank, "You can't do it.". She'll convince you that it can't be done by you, so best put if off. Bring something you can do into your near focus.
• these characters all have fabulous powers of persuasion

Who's running your team?

• You have to take charge. If you don't, it'll end up costing you dear.
• All the members of your team mean well, and they are on your side, by they're misguided.
• They're all trying to help and protect you:
• Fanny is trying to protect you from boredom
• Freda and Patricia from the embarrassment of failure
• Linda from over-straining yourself
• Think of a few things you are avoiding.
• Make a Table of Temptation to analyze the pros and cons of your procrastination
• What am I putting off?
• Why am I avoiding it?
• Benefit of putting it off
• Benefit of doing it now
• What am I tempted to do?

Top-Ten procrastination busters 

• to help transform your Time-Management Team voices into your Dream Team

1. Crystal Balls - the Crystal Ball technique allows you to view the potential of future events and gives you a chance to reconsider what you focus on in your present. You can change your ways and create the future of your choosing.
• Gaze into your fabulous future 
• Stand in a space with no other people around
• Look in the direction of where you think your future is, then point to it. Notice where you are pointing. Notice how far away our future goes from you. How much time do you think you've got left?
• Point to your past. Notice where you are pointing, notice how far away from you your past goes.
• Point to your present. Notice where you are pointing. Are you standing in your present, is it high up, low down, in front of you, to the side, does it go around you? Really notice where it seems to start and end, in relation to the future and the past.
• Get yourself a pen and and a paper and make a drawing of what you have just done. Draw a line which connects the past, present and future together just like a dot-to-dot.
• What you've drawn is your Time Line. As you stand in you present gazing along it into your future, you become like a human crystal ball, able to see the consequences of your actions.
• By bringing the consequences of not taking action into our present consciousness, it helps us take the right actions
2. Reframing - the way we look at tasks can affect how we feel about them, and subsequently whether we do them or not.
• sometimes looking at a task in a different way can give us the impetus we need to get started
• If you are resisting doing a task, ask yourself: how can I look at this differently so the resistance will be removed?
• Whatever resistance you're experiencing, look at the task another way. See if it helps.
3. Bite of the Apple - tackle things one bite at a time.
• You engage in the activity known as long-term planning and time-chunking.
• Another easy way of getting you started on a large task that you're resisting is to just do one small thing towards it. Do one thing today that will start you on the journey of completing the task.
• Each journey of a thousand steps begins with a single step. Taking even a baby step will move you closer to your goals. It'll motivate you to take more action as you start to gain momentum.
• By setting a realistic deadline and by breaking the tasks down into smaller chunks, the impossible becomes possible.
• Give yourself a little affirmation for success. An affirmation is a positive statement that let's you know you are moving in the right direction.
• Sample affirmation: "Every day I am getting closer and closer to achieving all the tasks that are really important to me and make a significant difference in my life."
4. Volume Control - learn how to control your own personal volume control to turn down the torturous tones of the tongues that tempt you, and say no to their nagging. (their = "Management Team")
• Use your new-found control to turn down the volume on unwanted feelings, too.
• Feeling of being under pressure, stress or guilt - none of these emotions is terribly helpful for productivity, so turn their volume down.
5. Can't Do to Can Do - tell your RAS you can't do something and it will be in overdrive looking for evidence to support that belief
• "If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right." - Henry Ford
• Try these really simple ways to get you thinking that you can:
• ask yourself "Is it that I really can't do it, or is it that I just don't know how?'
• open up to the possibility that this is something you could achieve in the future. Instead of saying, "I can't do it", say, "I can't do it yet." This also gives you the permission to move forward.
• ask, "What would I need to know, learn, or do, to be able to do this?
• imagine yourself doing this thin you can't do yet at some point in the future. See, hear and feel what it's like to be doing your "can't do"
• ask yourself:
• what steps did I take to achieve this?
• what options did I have and which ones did I choose?
• what did I do to motivate myself to get on with it?
• who helped me?
• what is it like achieving this?
• where would I be now if I had chosen not to do this?
• what action will I take today to move forward with this can't-d and transform it into a can-do?
6. No Pudding for Procrastinators - give yourself a reward when the task is complete
• You only give yourself "pudding" when procrastination is off your personal menu.
• If you motivate yourself to complete a task that you really didn't want to do, celebrate and reward yourself.
7. Inject Urgency 
• Create pressure artificially. Bring your deadline forward and give yourself breathing space.
• Make a plan with contingency built in - and stick to it. 
• Get someone else to hold you accountable. Ask a friend to check in with you periodically, at set dates before the deadline, to see if you've done what you said you would.
• Build in milestones that will force you to do small parts of the task on a regular basis.
8. New Habits - create a new habit
• Decide what new habit you want.
• Identify what triggers your old habitual behaviour.
• Think of ways to remove the trigger.
• Create a structure to support your new habit. Make a tick-list for the next 21 days to monitor your progress. This will also help you to be mindful of your new behaviour. Put a reminder in your Daily Diary. Remember, people who put their intentions down are more likely to manifest them.
• Celebrate your success and reward yourself.
9. It needn't be perfect - with such a high bar to reach, we're likely to fail
• "Does everything really have to be perfect? What would be an acceptable standard?"
• 80/20 Law - 20% of your efforts will produce 80% of your results. After that you get diminishing returns on your effort and focus.
• 5 questions to ask yourself when Patricia Perfectionist is at work:
• What would happen if this wasn't perfect?
• If I just did my best what would I have to do?
• How much less effort would it take to reach a perfectly acceptable standard?
• Who says this has to be perfect?
• What will happen if I attempt to reach perfection?
• 5 ways to turn Fear of Failure into Courage
• List the benefits of achieving what you're putting off.
• Ask yourself, "What's the worst thing that could possibly happen if I have a go?"
• Ask yourself, "What's the best thing that could possibly happen if I have a go?"
• Take inspiration from others who have failed but persevered in order to reach their goals.
• Think of 3 ways that attempting this could make you stronger as person.
• If you achieve all your dreams and desires without ever failing, then you've not tried hard enough, or dreamt hard enough.
10. Management Meetings - sit down and have a meeting with your management team
• Put out 2 chairs that face each other. When you sit in one chair you will represent the views of yourself. You will put the case forward for getting on with the job in hand. In the other chair you will represent the case of your team - Hilda Habit, Fanny Fun, Freda Fear and the rest of the gang, who want to put things off.
• Start by sitting in one chair. State all the reasons for getting on with the job.
• Move to the second chair and state the reasons from your Management Team for putting the job off.
• Return to the first chair and explain to the team all the reasons why their justifications are not valid. Tell them the benefits of doing the job now, in particular what's specifically in it for them.
• Come to a compromise with your Management Team, so everyone is happy and you can take action to move forward.
• Have fun with this. How silly are some of the arguments?

If you want to live the life of your choosing, take control of what you do in the moment and tomorrow will be surprisingly fabulous.

Actions for Week Six

• Look at your list of things you've been putting off. (5mins)
• Choose 2 of them to work on this week. One should be a small, achievable item - for example, spending ten minutes everyday playing one-to-one with your children. It could be putting up a picture that's been propped against the wall for months. The other should be a larger, more time-consuming project.
• Totally complete the small item. (5-20mins)
• Break the larger task down into manageable chunks. Put all the short-term actions into your Daily Diary. (10mins)
• Take at least one step on the larger project. (5-20mins) Remember, lots of small steps will move you forward.
• Don't put it off. Put the book down and start now!

Tips

1. Keep a notebook and pen next to your bed so if you have any great ideas you can write them down and get to sleep. If a worry is keeping you awake, give it the same treatment.
2. Put your clothes straight into the washing basket rather than getting there via floor, where they have a tendency to gang up and loiter with intent.
3. Use your answering machine - you don't always have to answer the phone just because it's ringing!
4. Do you really need to bathe slightly older children every night?
5. Train everyone in your family never to put anything down but to put it away.
6. Focus on one thing at a time. When you try to catch 2 rabbits, they both get away.
7. Leave the lid off your washing tablet box, so you can just reach in and get what you need.
8. Put your photographs into albums as soon as you get them. Don't wait until you have 5,000 all out of order and have lost the will even to try to sort them out. Work through the backlog a small chunk at a time.
9. Make meals in bulk, then freeze them in portions to use another day.
10. Put labels on everything. If something goes missing, it will be returned as if by magic.

Summary

• We have a tendency to put things off.
• The long-term costs of putting something off is usually greater than the short-term price of just doing it in the first place.
• We are influenced to put things off by our internal thoughts. We can learn how to overcome these influences.
• The usual reason for procrastination is that we see a benefit in the moment for doing so. The short-term gain often seems more appealing than the long-term consequences.
• To put and end to procrastination, we can learn new habits and techniques around taking action.