Many of you will be able to relate to the issues brought up below. You'll possibly find a solution that will work for you too. If not, Ask Peggy. She personally answers appropriate questions and posts on the site within a few days.

	Web www.PeggyDuncan.com

Q: Peggy, I've tried to get organized, and just can't seem to do it. I'm looking around at all these piles, and just get so overwhelmed and just throw up my hands. I know it'll help me get more done, but I'm tired, and the thought of getting organized makes me more depressed. What can I do? - Jan

A: Stop whining. And take the word "try" out of your vocabulary, and do it! As long as you have it in your mind that you can't do it, then you can't.

This is not brain surgery we're talking about here. This is about making some decisions about what you can let go of and what you need to keep, how to store it, and where to put it. You can do this. Haven't you experienced enough pain already from not doing it? Maybe you  haven't, but eventually you will.

My Website has tips, my book [Put Time Management to Work] lays it out for you step by step, and the bookstores are packed with other resources. Stop making excuses.

What are you going to do? Continue to waste 6-8 weeks a year digging through all that junk? Or are you going to take back control of your time and get this done?

It's your choice. Find a friend to help you or hire a professional. Turn off the TV, stay home this weekend. Whatever you have to do, do it! And report back to me on your progress!

Q: My question is perplexing. I have started my own company and I would like to know what suggestions you have to work a full time job, commute 1.5 hours 1 way for 5 days, run a household (take care of my dog), work my company, and take care of church duties. Please advise. - B

A: Congratulations on your new business! With your schedule, you're going to have to develop routines and systems that will eliminate all time wastage. I hope you took the time to really plan your business, including developing processes and procedures to make everything flow, and utilizing technology to automate as much as you can. If you didn't, back up and get this done. (Refer to the book list on this site for just the right help.)

Most people do not do this, and it's one of the top three reasons they fail (according to the SBA).

As you commute, learn things that will help you in your business as opposed to listening to negative talk shows or useless music and silly DJ chatter. Pop in some tapes on marketing a small business, etc., and learn while you drive.

Your household will have to be set up to run with the precision of a business. Set up routines and systems for everything so you can stay on track. Seek help on much of this. Find the money in the budget for this if you need it (e.g., instead of paying for expensive cable TV, use that cash to outsource housekeeping, etc.).

On the church duties, I suggest you turn this over to someone who has more time than you. Let your business be your ministry for now.

Q:3/9/03 - I'm sort of a visual person, for me out of sight is out of mind, so filing doesn't work well for me. I tend to hop from project to project without completing anything. Whatever I see first takes first priority, and I forget everything else. I'm not good at prioritizing because most things seem to be of equal importance. It's basically whatever holds my attention for the moment. And I often sidetrack.

This is a problem when I'm researching, because I'm constantly changing topics. I tend to store articles from many different subjects, and never seem to want to refer to them until after I've thrown them out.

I do seem to have a handle on my bills, taxes, and junk mail the majority of the time. I don't send credit card payments late, but when I'm at my most disorganized I find myself fed-exing them to get them there on time.

My worst problem seems to be keeping track of handwritten notes I take on various subjects. Half the time when I read them, I have no idea what context they're in, or they're illegible. This didn't used to be a problem because I used to remember anything I had written down, but now I seem to not be able to remember anything!

I also have trouble following up on things that can't be taken care of immediately. I tend to forget about them.

I've read a couple of organizing books - Organizing for the Creative Person - which doesn't seem to jibe with me and Julie Morganstern's book, which helped in areas other than paper.

Last month I decided to do a clearing out, which I do periodically, but basically it means take everything out and try to sort it all into piles, but get interrupted so I gather them up and shove them out of the way. Sometimes I find myself handling papers more than once because I don't know what to do with them, they don't seem to fit anywhere. So now basically I have papers everywhere and I can't find a darned thing!

Any suggestions on new workable approaches? -S in NYC

A: Your situation isn't tough to diagnose, and it can get better only if you make the decision to change, then move forward to make it happen. Here is what you can do right away that will give you instant gratification and an incentive to do more.

1. You must clear your calendar and get this thing done. Don't schedule anything for a couple of days and devote it to doing this, even if you have to give up a weekend or two.
   
    
2. You need a home for your papers so you'll have to create some type of filing system, either in open containers so you can see them, or tucked away in traditional file drawers. Once you create the filing system, you have somewhere that's logical to put the papers instead of putting them in piles.
   
   
   You can probably throw away 80 percent of your papers, mainly because most anything you need can be found on the Internet. You may want to save yourself some time in developing a system for your papers by purchasing my COPE WorkPak System with a filing system already created, labels already typed, and more. Click here. You may also be interested in our Filing System in a Box (we do everything and ship it to you ready to use).
   
   
   Clutter is overwhelming you, and if your eyes always see a mess, your mind will become one. Clutter is probably accounting for most of the reasons that you're jumping from one project to the next without finishing anything.  That and unclear goals make priorities fuzzy because you're not sure of what's important. Priorities should be based on how the work will get you closer to your goals...what are you being measured on? how do you define success? what's the most important use of your time at home or work? You have to figure this out. Just write everything down, and it'll be clearer.
   
    
3. Schedule time on your calendar to work on projects just like you do a meeting. Then stick to it. This will be easier with the clutter cleared away and your goals set.
   
   
   For a simple to do list, I suggest a spiral notebook so you can keep all your notes in one place. Don't wake up in the morning wondering what you'll do that day. Figure this out the month, week, and day before. Write everything down, and check it off as you complete it.
   
   
   For followups, I suggest a tickler file and computer reminders that pop up reminding you to check the tickler (that's what I do).
   
   
   You mentioned two great books that you'd read. Perhaps you could try mine, Put Time Management to Work. It's 99% business-related. You'll find details on tips I've mentioned here, and it's a quick-read.

Hope this helps. Keep me posted.

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