ASK THE COACH

Is There Hope for Me? 
(Stressed to the Max, Washington State)

Dear Kathy,

I have been wanting to write you for months, and it has taken me a while to muster up the courage to do so. A colleague suggested you might be able to help me. Here is my situation…

My office is a complete disaster. Every surface is covered with papers, journals, and mail. My drawers are so stuffed full that they won't even open. My files are such a mess that I can't find anything. I quit filing months ago and have resorted to the "pile" system. I am ashamed to let anyone see my office, as there isn't even a place for people to sit! I even get stressed when I think about having a Professional Organizer come in here. (It's like cleaning the house before having the housekeeper arrive!) I've been trying to clean up this mess by myself. Unfortunately, the harder I try to get on top of things, the more behind overwhelmed I feel.

I am a professional who enjoys a reputation for excellent work in my field, and recently some important follow-up has slipped through the cracks due to overload. I'm taking work home with me to try to catch up, and my environment isn't any better there. This is taking its toll on my family life, as well. My life is totally out of control!!! Is there any hope for me? Where do I begin?

--Stressed to the Max


Dear Stressed,

First, I want to commend you for having the courage to write me about your stress and dissatisfaction. Second, I want to assure you that you are not alone. Finally, I want you to know that there is hope!

Living or working in a mess does not mean that you are a bad person or an unfit professional. If you choose to change this, you can. 

A number of my clients have sought my help with organizing physical environments similar to the one which you have described. I ask them, "How does this overload make you feel?" The answer: "Guilty, depressed, angry…" Then I ask them if they choose to continue to surround themselves in an environment that makes them feel unhappy. 

People are generally motivated to do something to either increase pleasure or decrease pain in their lives. It sounds like you are experiencing a lot of pain and you are motivated to reduce clutter, set priorities, and create an effective filing/paper management system. By gaining some control over your environment and your schedule you can reduce stress, increase your effectiveness and productivity, and feel less overwhelmed. You will also be able to invite people into your office without feeling so embarrassed.

You asked, "Where do I begin?" My answer may surprise you. The organizing process begins in your head. Let me explain. 

I use the metaphor of an iceberg to describe the work of "getting organized." The tip of the iceberg represents the physical environment which we can "organize." The part of the iceberg that sits under the waterline -- the largest part which we cannot see -- represents the mental part of being organized…being clear about our priorities so we can be "on purpose" about how we use our time and resources.

You may be surprised to learn that about 80% of what most people file is never referenced again. If that is the case, it seems like a big waste of time and energy to invest so much in the past and in feeling guilty over yesterday's piles. I encourage you to begin with today's mail and start planning for tomorrow. I am not suggesting that you take a match to your existing office. What I am suggesting is that you get a plan and system in place to move you into the future so you can live your life on purpose. In doing so, you will feel more energized and it will make the task of "organizing" your existing pileup much easier. (You'll probably throw a lot of it away once you get crystal clear about what is most important to you.)

If you choose to seek professional assistance, I recommend the following:

• Hire a certified Business Coach to assist you in clarifying your priorities, understanding what gets in the way of you accomplishing your priorities, creating a plan and timeline to move you forward and keep you on purpose, and holding you accountable for follow-through with your plan.

• Once you are clear about your priorities, hire a Professional Organizer to assist you in creating systems to help you effectively manage your paper flow, computer documents, etc. You may also consider purchasing Kiplinger's Taming the Paper Tiger software--a phenomenal organizing tool which guarantees that you can find anything you file or store in 5 seconds or less. Many professionals throughout the USA and Canada are using this affordable and effective tool for instant filing and retrieval of important papers.

• Evaluate what parts of your work you can delegate to someone else. Consider what you are best at and what you are passionate about doing. These are the tasks to keep on your plate. Delegate the rest as you can. For example, if you are a sole proprietor you might hire a bookkeeping service or an accountant to handle your financial records if this is a part of your business you are not good at or don't enjoy.

You're probably saying to yourself, "But all of this is going to cost me money!" You are absolutely right. Do you realize that you are already spending that money now in less tangible ways? If you don't believe me, for the next month keep a log of some of the following costs of continuing to do "business as usual":

• Late payment fees because you didn't make payments by the due date
• Overtime pay for support staff staying late to do a "rush" job because you gave it to them last minute
• Cost of replacing and retraining burned out employees who quit
• Cost to reproduce or repurchase something that you already have but cannot find
• Fees for overnight expressing something that could have been sent regular mail
• Interest on uncollected fees because you do not mail invoices in a timely manner
• Interest on checks that sit around for a long time before being deposited
• Inability to expand your business or workload -- you can barely handle what you already have!
• Missed opportunities, lack of competitive edge (this one is more difficult to measure in dollars)
• Stress and burnout, leading to illness and reduced productivity
• Other: ________________

Once you have kept this log for a month, multiply the costs by 12, and you'll have a rough estimate of the annual cost of continuing to do business as usual.

Today's mail will become tomorrow's pile unless you choose to make some changes in your daily habits. Let me know how I can assist you on your journey. 

-Kathy Paauw
Professional Organizer and Certified Business Coach

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