So I’ve had eight days to contemplate a lot of great advice on how to GET ORGANIZED in 2013. (I’d like to point out that eight days is only two days more than it took God Almighty to organize the universe; just sayin’ that, considering the state of MY universe, trying to GET ORGANIZED in a few days less than a year seems a wee bit ambitious…)
I’m composing this post a few days before the end of the 2012 (See how I’m TRYING to GET ORGANIZED?) because I’m frantically busy at the moment. I’m finishing one book (Sheerways #2), starting another (Steel Born #3), and organizing the launch of a third (Steel Born #2) first thing in January, like, as you are reading this right this second. I’ve already marshaled my tools to keep me on tracks. Here you can see:
- My calendar with days slowly fading away
- Sticky notes
- Lined notecards
- Print-outs of checklists
- My color-coordinated pens (alternating black and red for “needs to be done now” and “OMG needs to be done right now!!!”)
- Mini bottle of J&B… How did that get in here?!?… Ooh, look, there’s still a little left
Already, I’m seeing a failing in my resolution to GET ORGANIZED. I have too much to do. It’s not even 2013 and I’m already doomed. THIS IS WHAT THE MAYANS WERE TRYING TO WARN US ABOUT!!!!
No, no, calming breath. If we can survive the ending of one epoch, certainly we can survive the beginning of another. But I am going to think smaller, with more bullet points. Instead of trying to organize my universe, I am going to organize my office. There, that sounds more reasonable. My office is where I spend most of my time and it directly impacts my writing, which is what I love, so I should be most motivated to do this, at least to start.
Organizing my office lends itself nicely to bullet points and checklists:
- Organize desk drawers and filing cubbies
- Organize armoire
- Organize bookshelves 1-3
- Organize closet
Okay, this I can do. As soon as I finish my current projects in February…
All my author friends will be posting their wrap-up thoughts on their chosen resolutions — including procrastination and shrinking closets. How convenient! I think maybe we should reconvene on December 31, 2013 and see how we did!
Stops on the “Resolve 2013” tour: January 1-9, 2013
Maggie Jaimeson – Take a Vacation
Jessa Slade – Get Organized
Paty Jager – Volunteerism
Linda Mercury – Creating a Literary (or Creative) Life
Jenna Bayley-Burke – Eat Healthier
Cassiel Knight – No More Procrastination
Cathryn Cade – Take Time for those OTHER Creative Passions
Su Lute – Reduce Stress: Find and Follow Your Bliss
Jamie Brazil – Shrink My Closet
I have my own system of organization. I’m not someone that has to have a pristine desk or sparkling house around me to be able to function. But I do need order. There may be three piles of items on my desk but those are piles that pertain to what I’m doing. One pile has research for the current book, another pile has marketing and promotion things I need to tend to, and one is my list of to do’s and calendar/date book. Sometimes they get mixed together, but that’s because I may be working on all of it at the same time, like now. ;0) Writing my latest work in progress, promoting the last book, formatting the next book, and keeping up with the places I’m blogging.
Often lost in the mist of “get organized” tips and tricks is one inescapable truth. Organizing is an act of profound self-love.
I’m excited to see all the tips everyone else has during the Resolve 2013 tour. Alas, organization is not my strong suit. I’m always forgetting something. And most of my tips have to do with kiddos, not writing. But here goes…
Nine of us picked one resolution as our own and the rest of us get to offer advice to our friends about their resolution. One thing I’ve noticed is that most of them have a resolution that involves some form of time management and organization.
Jessa Slade 