At the end of last year, I was fortunate enough to have done a session with Amy Thill. The goal was to explore and hopefully improve my time and space organization systems and such.
While I think I know myself pretty well, I have to say I learned a LOT, and that the best things I learned from Amy were based on her keen insight into how my brain works, based on my descriptions of things I do, the tools I use, and the way I use them.
Here's what I learned:
1. I really rock when it comes to managing my time.
I schedule EVERYTHING in Outlook. In a class I took on project management some years ago, the trainer said, "The person who controls the time controls the work." I really took that to heart (and may blog more about that, now that I've said it out loud). Seriously, if it's not on my calendar, it may as well not exist in my world. That means I almost never over commit or find myself lacking in time. And as I'm finding out, that's pretty extraordinary.
2. I should not compare myself to Dawn Goldberg
It seems that I have this unrealistic idea that I should be like Dawn--a veritable goddess of organizing, goal-setting, and darned near perfection. But Dawn apparently is more of a freak than the norm, and being like her is absolutely beyond my ken. I need to stop watching her and trying or even wanting to be more like her. I'm a far better me than I'd ever be as a Dawn. ;)
3. I am no longer allowed in The Container Store
Ok -- that's a little tongue-in-cheek, but truly, TCS is for me like a crack house would be for an addict. It's dangerous in too many ways, and it's truly best to avoid it.
My friends, while what I'm going to share wasn't exactly news to me, in talking with Amy, it was the first time I had ever laid it all out at one time, or for someone else to look at, dive into, and smoosh around. I felt vulnerable, and completely safe with her at the same time. Here's what I told her (in a nutshell):
I always think there has to be something better out there...something that will allow me to be more organized, more efficient, just...more. So I'm prone to buying every single organizing thing-a-ma-jig I see--especially those I find at The Container Store. If I see something, and it seems like a better/easier/more helpful/more elegant/more beautiful solution to something than what I already have, I buy it. Then, if I get it home and it either doesn't work the way I thought it would, or it isn't actually better/easier/more helpful/more elegant/more beautiful than whatever I had, I set it aside, and it sits. And sits. And sits. Years later, stuff is still sitting.
For instance:
* I bought this "Do Not Forget" thing that hangs over a door knob. It has a place to attach keys, and little pockety things where you can tuck stuff (like letters to take to the post office, coupons to take to the store--things like that). It's been hanging over the door knob on the door to my office for at LEAST two years, and I've never used it. With it, I bought the "Do Not Forget" notepad, which you write on, and ostensibly tear off a sheet which then hangs over the doorknob. I've never used that, either.
* I had this idea that I'd like, from time to time, to have my laptop set up in my office so that I could work on my desktop and laptop at the same time. Not convenient to have the laptop on my desk, I bought a single tv tray table. I reasoned that, when folded up, it could sit conveniently behind my office door--out of the way, and yet be easily accessible when I wanted to use it. It's been sitting behind that door for at LEAST four years, and I've never used it.
* At the end of last year, Dawn and I each bought this gorgeous big wall calendar from the ever-yummy Paper Source, on which we thought we'd do some planning. She did, and I didn't. As it turns out, I a) don't actually have wall space for it, and b) can't wrap my head around planning on paper in ink (and pencil wouldn't be able to be seen from a distance)..all that inevitable crossing off and re-writing (in ink) just bothers me too much. So it's sitting, still wrapped up, on the floor by my office door. I'll never use it. Maybe Dawn could use another ;)
4. The unused stuff comes in and never leaves because, deep down, I think I SHOULD be able to use whatever I've bought and that if I keep the stuff around long enough, I'll figure out how to make it work. Amy graciously disavowed me of this notion by pointing out that nothing ever HAD worked that didn't work immediately, and everything that hadn't worked is still sitting there--still unused.
We also uncovered the reality that things either work for me or they don't, and I know immediately upon getting them home and in my space. For instance, none of the above mentioned stuff worked. But when I tried Gina Trapani's solution from Upgrade Your Life to having a perpetually empty inbox (it's Hack #1 in the book), it worked immediately. And it has worked every day since. And when I got my Blackberry and started keeping my passwords in Password Keeper, and my notes about stuff in Memo, it all worked immediately. And when I listened to the aforementioned trainer and tried scheduling everything, it worked immediately. I chose Gmail over that thing I used before--it worked immediately. And Dawn showed me how to collaborate with Groove, and, you guessed it, it worked immediately (she and I were using it together, quite literally, less than five minutes later, and use it flawlessly still...nearly five years later).
Amy's suggestion? Stop buying stuff (and specifically, stay out of the Container Store, which is clearly way more than I can handle or resist). And if I can't resist, I need to commit to either using the thing, or if it doesn't work for me, getting it out of my space--either by returning the item (if possible) or donating it to charity. Brilliant.
While I think I know myself pretty well, I have to say I learned a LOT, and that the best things I learned from Amy were based on her keen insight into how my brain works, based on my descriptions of things I do, the tools I use, and the way I use them.
Here's what I learned:
1. I really rock when it comes to managing my time.
I schedule EVERYTHING in Outlook. In a class I took on project management some years ago, the trainer said, "The person who controls the time controls the work." I really took that to heart (and may blog more about that, now that I've said it out loud). Seriously, if it's not on my calendar, it may as well not exist in my world. That means I almost never over commit or find myself lacking in time. And as I'm finding out, that's pretty extraordinary.
2. I should not compare myself to Dawn Goldberg
It seems that I have this unrealistic idea that I should be like Dawn--a veritable goddess of organizing, goal-setting, and darned near perfection. But Dawn apparently is more of a freak than the norm, and being like her is absolutely beyond my ken. I need to stop watching her and trying or even wanting to be more like her. I'm a far better me than I'd ever be as a Dawn. ;)
3. I am no longer allowed in The Container Store
Ok -- that's a little tongue-in-cheek, but truly, TCS is for me like a crack house would be for an addict. It's dangerous in too many ways, and it's truly best to avoid it.
My friends, while what I'm going to share wasn't exactly news to me, in talking with Amy, it was the first time I had ever laid it all out at one time, or for someone else to look at, dive into, and smoosh around. I felt vulnerable, and completely safe with her at the same time. Here's what I told her (in a nutshell):
I always think there has to be something better out there...something that will allow me to be more organized, more efficient, just...more. So I'm prone to buying every single organizing thing-a-ma-jig I see--especially those I find at The Container Store. If I see something, and it seems like a better/easier/more helpful/more elegant/more beautiful solution to something than what I already have, I buy it. Then, if I get it home and it either doesn't work the way I thought it would, or it isn't actually better/easier/more helpful/more elegant/more beautiful than whatever I had, I set it aside, and it sits. And sits. And sits. Years later, stuff is still sitting.
For instance:
* I bought this "Do Not Forget" thing that hangs over a door knob. It has a place to attach keys, and little pockety things where you can tuck stuff (like letters to take to the post office, coupons to take to the store--things like that). It's been hanging over the door knob on the door to my office for at LEAST two years, and I've never used it. With it, I bought the "Do Not Forget" notepad, which you write on, and ostensibly tear off a sheet which then hangs over the doorknob. I've never used that, either.
* I had this idea that I'd like, from time to time, to have my laptop set up in my office so that I could work on my desktop and laptop at the same time. Not convenient to have the laptop on my desk, I bought a single tv tray table. I reasoned that, when folded up, it could sit conveniently behind my office door--out of the way, and yet be easily accessible when I wanted to use it. It's been sitting behind that door for at LEAST four years, and I've never used it.
* At the end of last year, Dawn and I each bought this gorgeous big wall calendar from the ever-yummy Paper Source, on which we thought we'd do some planning. She did, and I didn't. As it turns out, I a) don't actually have wall space for it, and b) can't wrap my head around planning on paper in ink (and pencil wouldn't be able to be seen from a distance)..all that inevitable crossing off and re-writing (in ink) just bothers me too much. So it's sitting, still wrapped up, on the floor by my office door. I'll never use it. Maybe Dawn could use another ;)
4. The unused stuff comes in and never leaves because, deep down, I think I SHOULD be able to use whatever I've bought and that if I keep the stuff around long enough, I'll figure out how to make it work. Amy graciously disavowed me of this notion by pointing out that nothing ever HAD worked that didn't work immediately, and everything that hadn't worked is still sitting there--still unused.
We also uncovered the reality that things either work for me or they don't, and I know immediately upon getting them home and in my space. For instance, none of the above mentioned stuff worked. But when I tried Gina Trapani's solution from Upgrade Your Life to having a perpetually empty inbox (it's Hack #1 in the book), it worked immediately. And it has worked every day since. And when I got my Blackberry and started keeping my passwords in Password Keeper, and my notes about stuff in Memo, it all worked immediately. And when I listened to the aforementioned trainer and tried scheduling everything, it worked immediately. I chose Gmail over that thing I used before--it worked immediately. And Dawn showed me how to collaborate with Groove, and, you guessed it, it worked immediately (she and I were using it together, quite literally, less than five minutes later, and use it flawlessly still...nearly five years later).
Amy's suggestion? Stop buying stuff (and specifically, stay out of the Container Store, which is clearly way more than I can handle or resist). And if I can't resist, I need to commit to either using the thing, or if it doesn't work for me, getting it out of my space--either by returning the item (if possible) or donating it to charity. Brilliant.
5. Plan more, but short-term.
Long-term planning doesn't work for me, anyway. 9/11 taught me that a ten-year plan is certainly overrated.
6. Bit O’Moxie: Most of all--what works for me just works. I really don't need to get help, or find new systems, or do anything different (except stay out of The Container Store, keep my credit card in my wallet, get rid of stuff that doesn't work, and stop watching Dawn--some of which will be far easier for me than the others).
I walked away from the consultation with some good ideas for change, some validation about the things I already do, and the knowledge that I'm actually pretty darned efficient.
If you'd like an evaluation of what you're doing and how it might be made better, I heartily recommend talking with Amy! Visit her site, or give her a shout at amy @ amythill.com.
Your container store is my quest for the perfect online organizer program (omni focus, toodledo, remember the milk... ) I think I've tried them all. But, I think you are right - if it *is* right -it will just work. Thanks!
Posted by: Meredith | January 06, 2010 at 11:10 AM
*You* are a perfect Stacy. :) And I'm a perfect Dawn, but by no means perfect. There are times I feel a bit overwhelmed by what I have to get done - you have that one nailed!
Like everything else, one finds the time management system that works for him/her. I'm always tweaking by the way, and sometimes my system completely changes as my life changes.
I love you, Perfect Stacy. <3
Posted by: Dawn Goldberg | January 06, 2010 at 01:50 PM
Loved this blog! I was laughing when you said you were not allowed in the Container Store any more. Although I don't have a Container Store where I live and I've never been inside of one, I too am always looking for a better way to organize or be more efficient. Thanks for reminding me that some of the systems I have in place run just fine. You really should watch the show Clean House. My girls and I got addicted to it over the Christmas break. It will give you hope.
Posted by: Monique Cunningham | January 08, 2010 at 01:35 PM
Thanks for the insights and the great tips. I do have some things I do really well, I just don't give myself enough credit for them.
I just finished reading chapter 1 in Upgrade Your Life. Sounds like a plan and I'm clearing through emails right now.
I'm also going to get back on track with scheduling my day. When I did it the way you taught me, I was much more productive, and with all that I have going on, I absolutely have to be productive & effective.
Posted by: LauraJo Richins | January 09, 2010 at 11:20 AM
Way to go, Stacy. Some very valuable information here and for me a push to follow suit and clean out my stuff, and .. to find out what works for me best. Thanks
Posted by: Beatrice Ten-Thye | January 10, 2010 at 09:40 AM