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A nun in chaos! Order please!
I am on a mission to be more organized! It’s not that I’m particularly disorganized, just not organized in the right ways! For example, my desk drawer is VERY organized when it comes to my markers and pencils. These are highly treasured implements of writing and thinking for me (yes, I think with markers and pencils). But when it comes to my daily plan, ummm, not so organized. Or, to be more diplomatic, not the most effective organization plan for my day.
In such times of need, I turn, as often I do — to God. I figure God is the Creator of the Universe. Surely God should know something about organizing and could perhaps shed light on the subject. If we go Old-School God, then we’re talking creation. Now that was an organizing nightmare. How do you organize that which never existed before? There’s no precedence, there’s no one to ask for help, there’s no logic because even logic wasn’t created before creation!
The whole “order from chaos” thing is definitely impressive yet there is one simple phrase that brings me great comfort and inspiration:
“For God is a God not of disorder but of peace.” (1 Corinthians 14:33)
On days when the organizing feat of creating the universe is beyond my comprehension and sheds little light on my way more minor organizing needs, I turn to this passage because I get it immediately. Though there are a lot of good criteria for organizing my life, my projects, and my sock drawer, one of the most important is to be mindful of peace. Does this schema bring peace? Do I feel peaceful with how I’ve crafted the day’s schedule? Will my approach leave me feeling anxious or scattered? Will how I go about my plan (or non-plan as the case may be) cause anxiety or stress or become a burden to someone else?
What helps you with your organizing? How does peace play its part for you?
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{ 15 comments }
A little “shout out” to my favorite librarian — Kbart!
I’m a librarian, too, and yet I struggle with the organization thing. It’s easy to just ignore it, but in the end that just brings more stress and anxiety instead of peace. I find that doing one thing at a time (pick up all papers or fold all socks), finishing it, and then appreciating the difference helps. Once I get something clean, too, it is easier to keep it clean than have to do the whole big chore over again. My house is on the market now and that little trick is saving my sanity!
This nun in chaos awaits the outpouring of ideas with eagerness. (-: Thinking I might have taken the name Sr. Mary Entropy…
Oh, yeah, that’s a nun name you’re going to want to get a refund on!
Love it, Sr. Sarah!
1) To-do lists. My *personal* to-do list is on paper, on a pad that I keep next to my computer. Anything that comes to me that I need or want to do – whether urgent, short-term or a long-term goal, gets written down and crossed off. Every few days I write out a new one, deleting the completed tasks and putting more urgent ones at the top. This is a good way to discern priorities.
2) For work, I use Toodledo, because it makes entering recurring tasks easy. I put everything I need to do for work on that list, including check email, confirm appointments, set night message… as soon as I check it off, it automatically recurs to the next day. I can customize it so that tasks I only do on certain days or once a week or month (or even yearly) can be entered. It’s also great as a tickler, because I can add something for a few months down the road (like follow up with a certain patient or vendor.) I’ve got the app on my iphone, too, so I can add something that pops into my head when I’m home, or a personal task I need to do during work hours, like call the doctor.
3) organize emails. I have three email addresses, all dedicated to specific things – one for personal email, one for professional contacts, bills, mailing lists, groupon – anything I think might ultimately be shared and a third that incorporates my quasi-professional/church interests. I use gmail with labels and filters so that emails I don’t need to see right away are filtered; when I check my phone for email, I only see important things. It’s all archived, so I can easily find things I need.
4) Evernote. Everything, everything, everything gets put into evernote. I have a print to pdf option on my computer, so I can print anything I want to save (receipts, articles, anything) into a folder that brings it into evernote, which syncs to my phone and my work computer. You can classify by notebook/project and with tags. It’s brilliant.
That should get you started…
Peace be with you – Regina
Sisters, your salvation is at hand! I am so organized it is disgusting! I boggles the mind! My organization is organized.
Speaking of Creation, have you ever heard the “Creation Song” by Ann Mortifee?
I’d love to help, but I’m in no way, shape, or form organised myself!
A website that I check into, that helps immensely, is Fly Lady. She breaks down all the cleaning, organizing, and chaos in your life/house into little bits and encourages you with getting them done.
She also recommends a website called Cozi. It will help you plan your appointments, birthdays/anniversaries, bills, etc. for everyone and everything in your life. It helps busy moms and dads keep up with school, sports, medical schedules for the kids, but it also allows you to enter important plans for Sr. M. Chloe, the convent cat. (Her upcoming book and promo tour!)
You can enter the bulk information on the computer, but you can also access the calendar and all the lists from your SmartPhone (IPhone, Android, Blackberry, etc). It’s really nice for us because when my husband remembers that he needs shaving cream, he can add it to the list from his phone and I can see it when I am shopping at the store.
Take a look at both the FlyLady (www.flylady.net) and Cozi (www.cozi.com). The FlyLady page looks very busy and intimidating, but start with the tab: Babysteps and she will explain everything. Cozi has some nice info screens to explain everything. Both are FREE, my favorite price.
I hope these work for you.
Jerri
My suggestions would be to keep a source where you can reference and know that you will look at throughout the day and/or at least once a week (i.e. notebook, personal planner, PC, smart phone). I personally am a lil’ anal when it comes to organization, so I have my medical appts and other events (such as dinner with friends, activities with parish, etc.) in two places (my daily planner I take to work and leave open on my desk each day and also have things plugged on my iPhone 4. I have alerts set on my phone to remind me of important things. In addition, I pack my bag for work the night before and also set my clothes out before I go to bed to ensure that I have what I need when I wake up, so the am can go smoothly.
There are so many gadgets and so many organizers (many inexpensive) however they do not mean or do jack unless they are things you will mindfully entertain and USE vs. have simply to have (this I learned the hard way which is perhaps why I am as anal as I am—that and being raised military and also having served in the USAF ‘smile’)
Good luck in whatever avenue you choose to take!!!
YOU CAN DOOOO IT!
the only way i get organized is via other people. i always need help. or a gun to my head. my last attempt resulted in oreo and sleeper disappearing forever, so i’m in no hurry to try again.
Start with your sock draw, if you can keep that organized you’ll get there!
Tell you what. When you get it figured out, Sr. Julie, THEN tell me. In the meantime, even these bits of very good advice make me want to hide in the closet!
I’m rather sure I’m going to end up at the pearly-gates with my to do list still undone. I know the one I made for my daughter’s wedding still had a dozen things left in the undone list while she was marching down the aisle. Now she’s a grandmother – just sayin’
I hear ya, Marsha! My mother used to say that they’d have to put her ironing into the casket with her when she died, so she could so it in purgatory. Thank heaven for permanent press!
I keep lists of things I need to do and sometimes sort of prioritize them. At work, everything goes into a notebook so I can look at what I’ve accomplished for weekly progress reports.
Keeping more than one calendar, physical or virtual, is a disaster for me, so I don’t do it, except that I use Outlook’s Calendar function at work, by fiat.
A basic organizing principle for me, when there’s just to much to do, is “Do *I* have to do this thing, or can someone else do it? If I have to do it, what’s the worst that can happen if it doesn’t get done? And can I live with that?” Saves my sanity sometimes!
i am somewhat naturally well organized, so that helps a lot! But, more than that, as the days go by I find that there is often so much more to be done than I have the ability to accomplish. Thus, I have gratefuly learned t pray and ask God to priortize my day for me … and then listen for directions! That works wonders for me … try it !