 |
|
Kristin
White
del
Rosso,
Pea
Organizing
Services,
Inc.
|
Overcome
DistrACTIONs
to
Improve
Productivity
Have
you
ever
started
an
organizing
project
such
as
cleaning
out
your
closet
and
instead
got
sidetracked
needing
to
“see”
the
music
video
playing
in
the
background.
Or
perhaps
you
came
across
a
box
of
old
photos
that
you
decided
to
leaf
through
instead,
forgetting
about
the
piles
of
hangers
and
outdated
clothes
that
so
desperately
need
to
be
purged
and
organized.
Don’t
fret.
You
are
not
alone.
There
are
many
sources
of
distractions
for
everyone.
Distractions
can
be
internal
(memories,
feelings)
and
external
(noises,
interruptions).
They
are
not
necessarily
negative,
except
for
when
they
impede
upon
your
productivity
or
other
aspects
of
your
life.
While
there
are
many
distractions
to
productivity,
one
of
the
biggest
culprits
is
clutter.
This
is
why
it
is
essential
to
reduce
both
visual
and
internal
clutter
to
perform
tasks
well
or
make
decisions
effectively.
Take
for
example,
a
messy
desk,
which
can
truly
impact
a
worker’s
productivity.
In
fact,
it
has
been
estimated
that
an
average
of
$250
is
spent
in
recreating
a
lost
document
and
that
the
average
professional
loses
one
hour
per
day
due
to
disorganization.
How
do
you
focus
on
an
important
project
when
you
have
piles
of
papers
and
other
odds
and
ends
strewn
about
in
front
of
you?
In
most
cases,
you
might
find
it
hard
to
concentrate
and
focus
on
the
project
at
hand.
Improving
productivity
and
being
more
organized
can
be
more
difficult
to
achieve
for
people
dealing
with
chronic
disorganization
(CD)
and
attention
deficit
disorder
(ADD)
who
can
have
even
more
distractions
caused
by
too
much
stimulation,
impulsive
thoughts,
increased
sensitivity,
and
of
course,
more
clutter.
A
person
with
CD
or
ADD
might
also
become
distracted
by
feelings
of
self-consciousness
about
the
state
of
their
space,
and
frustrations
because
they
feel
they
should
be
able
to
be
organized
and
efficient.
They
may
also
feel
shame
when
sharing
the
state
of
their
affairs
and
possible
mistakes
and
wasteful
purchases
they
have
made
with
others.
Staying
focused
and
reducing
distractions
to
become
more
productive
is
all
about
the
ACTION
(Arrange,
Create,
Try,
Implement,
Overcome,
and
Nurture)
process:
Arrange:
Set
the
stage
before
each
organizing
session
with
an
established
and
realistic
plan
and
goal.
Create:
Establish
an
open
environment
for
organizing.
Know
that
all
of
your
feelings
are
valid,
so
be
open
to
new
and
creative
ideas
and
get
rid
of
judgmental
(distracting)
thoughts.
 Try:
Use
techniques
that
help
improve
attention
such
as
timers,
energizing
music,
working
at
your
peak
times
and
working
with
a
supportive
partner
to
keep
you
on
task.
Implement:
You
don’t
have
tackle
organization
all
on
your
own,
so
implement
a
plan
for
additional
help.
While
you
may
enlist
friends
and
family
to
assist
in
your
organizing
efforts,
consider
using
a
professional
organizer
who
can
help
ease
the
discomfort
clients
may
feel
with
the
process
of
getting
organized.
They
can
also
help
you
focus
on
what’s
important
and
what
you
need
to
get
done.
Overcome:
Deal
with
any
feelings
of
being
overwhelmed
at
the
prospect
of
the
task
ahead
by
breaking
it
down
into
manageable
steps.
Nurture:
Staying
organized
and
improving
productivity
are
ongoing
processes.
Identify
your
needs
and
where
you
may
need
help
so
that
you
can
have
an
effective
system
in
overcoming
distractions
to
reduce
clutter
and
a
have
a
more
peaceful
life.
|
Kristin
White
del
Rosso,
President
of
Pea
Organizing
Services,
Inc.
is
a
professional
organizing
consultant,
who
has
been
awarded
designation
as
the
first
to
be
OMI-Certified
in
the
area
of
professional
organizing
in
North
and
South
Carolina.
She
is
a
member
of
the
NAPO
Golden
Circle,
a
Certified
Member
of
the
International
Association
of
Professional
Organizers
(IAPO)
and
a
Certified
Productivity
Trainer
and
Authorized
Consultant
(PTAC™)
from
the
Hemphill
Productivity
Institute.
She
has
also
earned
a
Certificate
of
Study
in
Basic
Attention
Deficit
Disorder
(ADD)
Issues,
a
Certificate
of
Study
in
Chronic
Disorganization,
and
a
Certificate
of
Study
in
Learning
Styles
and
Modalities
from
the
National
Study
Group
of
Chronic
Disorganization
(NSGCD).
