Tortoise Organizing for Professional Procrastinators

Are you one of those who says "Tomorrow, I am going to get organized"?

Lots of people have real problems getting started on big projects like cleaning out the basement or organizing piles of paper, but if you have ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) you even have a neurological excuse. Some brains are not designed for top down planning and decision making. The CEO whose job is to set up the daily marching orders for the troops is just too laid back to get things done. Short of a city ordannce to clear up the mess because it's a public safety hazard nothing gets done.

Try Tortoise Organizing.

Tortoise Organizing takes its inspiration from the race between the Tortoise and the Hare.

Like the Hare, most of us start out too big and too fast. We plan to use a long weekend to empty the attic, but the weather is s-o-o nice you go to the beach or the golf course instead. Who is driving the car anyway?

Tortoise Organizing means taking one small step every day. One small step is one minute a day. Even if it is a nice day you can take one minute before dashing off to the beach.

"Tortoise Organizing" starts with one (1) minute a day. Yes, just 1 minute a day. No, it won't all get done in a day or a weekend, but like the tortoise you will get to the end before the hare.

Here's how I'm doing it.

1. I set up a recurring task in Outlook to spend 1 minute a day in the "Art Room". I called it the "Art Room" because that is what it will be, not the "Junk Room" which it is now. When I open the computer, a reminder for the task pops up.

2. I set a timer for one minute.

3. Go to the "Art Room" , start the timer and look around, when the timer goes off, I leave the room.

4. Tell Outlook the task is complete. Outlook generates a new task for the next day.

Easy right? It's so easy that I can do it every day (except Sunday). Even when I'm tired or harassed I do it.

For the first two weeks I just looked to see what was there and imagined what I would do when it was cleared up. Then I began to throw out a few papers, then put some folders away, then.., then...

Progress is visible and continuing and that is encouraging. It provides momentum.

There is no pressure. If I don't know what to do with something, it can wait, and in the mean time the brain is reviewing possibilities for the next time.

Clicking on task-complete in Outlook provides a secret satisfaction for the inner child like a gold star for drinking a glass of milk. (Gold stars will do just as well- Outlook is just a tool).

Want to try? If you have a task organizer like MS Outlook, that's fine,but if not you can use my "Thomas' Tortoise Organizer Chart" at nwww.CoachingKeytoADD.com/newsletter/tortoisechart.xls .