M.O.M. in Two Weeks – Assignment #4 – Collect Your “Stuff” and Print Visual Aides

Checklist Item #6: Collect all papers, tasks, and ideas from your physical environment and from your mind into the Main Inbox on your desk.

Before you can organize your mind, you need to know what’s in it. This means you need to “corral your stuff” (flyers, receipts, bills, lists, etc.) and empty your mind (things you need to buy, ideas you forgot to record, people you need to call, etc.) into one location. If your mind were a toddler’s car seat, I would say, “Get every Cheerio and fruit snack out from under the lining.”

And where are we going to put all of this loveliness? We’re going to gather everything from your “landing spots” and put it into one Main Inbox on your desk.

I can hear what you’re thinking: “There’s no WAY all of my stuff is going to fit into that little paper tray. No problem. Just pile it up as close as you can. I helped a friend organize her life a while ago, and she had three big laundry baskets full of mail, file folders, coupons, etc. Doesn’t this look fun?

Actually it was quite fun! You’ve got to go into this with that kind of an attitude. Turn on fun music, put big smile on your face, and say, “I am going to have some serious good times as I get organized.” Come on, let me hear you say it….

“I am going to have some serious good times as I get organized!”

Now don’t you feel more enthusiastic?

Here are a few ideas to think about in advance:

(1) We are NOT gathering office supplies, reference materials, decorations, or equipment–only papers, lists, and items involving tasks or important information.

(2) If you have some items that are too big to fit in your inbox (like 500 Christmas cards that need to be sorted for address collection), just write “Gather addresses from Christmas card box” on a sheet of paper and put that note into your inbox.

(3) If, while you are gathering stuff, you find a referral card for a doctor appointment that you totally forgot to make, don’t stop the collection process to make the appointment. Stick it in the inbox, and it will reappear soon enough. This pile won’t be around for long. No distractions.

So what exactly are we gathering? Every open loop. Everything you have to do, everything you want to keep up on, everything you need to remember. Everything. Some things are going to come from your physical environment, and some things are going to be emptied from your mind onto pieces of paper that will be added to your Main Inbox.

Let’s start with items from your physical environment. You’re going to go through the house and gather up all your piles of papers. Check kitchen counters, drawers, purses, diaper bags, children’s backpacks, electronic lists, and every stack you have hanging out around the house–even if you already know what’s in it. This includes advertisements, book orders, party invitations, soccer schedules, grocery lists, phone messages and bills. Grab it all and put it in your inbox (unless it’s clearly trash…go ahead and throw it away as long as you can keep your pace).

Then we’ll move onto the part referred to as the “Mind Sweep.” This is where you’re going to completely empty your brain. What are the little things that are nagging you? They might not seem important, but they are taking up space in your mind and holding you back from the stress-relief you deserve. Clean out every “dusty corner” of your brain, and get those thoughts down on paper.

Does a doorway need to be repainted? Are you out of AA batteries? Would you like to set up a book club? Do you need to mail all those thank you cards from your anniversary party? Are you trying to lose weight? Is the pantry driving you nuts? Are your son’s shoes getting too tight for him? Write it down.

David suggests you put each idea onto its own sheet of paper so it’s easy to process. I think that’s a great idea. You’re going to end up with a really big pile of “mind sweepings,” but I promise you that once you’ve sufficiently filled your Main Inbox with all your open loops, you will sleep better, you will enjoy your family more, and you will feel like a million bucks. Don’t let fear stop you here.

Yes, the pile might make you sick to your stomach when you realize what a mental load you’ve been carrying around, but that’s why I’m here—to help you deal with this. You’ve got EVERYTHING to gain and absolutely nothing to lose. If you’re not happy with the results I help you create, just spread everything around your home again and bask in the chaos. I’m kidding. Failure is not an option here. You’ll love the results. I guarantee it.

If you’re having trouble emptying your brain, there’s a great “Trigger List” on p. 114-117 o Getting Things Done® that you can check out, but if you just want a few ideas to get you started, here you go:

• Home improvement projects
• Journal ideas (cute things the children said or did)
• Things you promised your husband you would do
• Things you promised your children you would do
• Vacations to take
• Neighbors to help
• Books to read
• Websites to visit
• Errands to run
• Volunteer Opportunities
• Social Events
• Weddings
• Birthdays
• Holiday Traditions
• Family Educational Ideas
• Presents to buy
• Emails to send
• Handwritten letters to write
• Phone calls to make
• Sports events to attend
• Bills to pay
• Bills to appeal
• Insurance calls to make
• Items to discuss with your husband
• Items to discuss with your children’s school teachers
• Appliances to fix or purchase
• Light bulbs to change
• Classes to take (for you or your children)
• Articles or books you want to write
• Appointments to make
• Character traits you want to develop
• Business ideas
• Recipes to try
• Crafts
• Decorating ideas
• Friends to tell about The Power of Moms (had to throw that one in there)

This is your chance to get everything out of your mind, so don’t be afraid to dig deep. As new ideas come to you throughout this process, and throughout your life, just write them down and stick them in your inbox.

Do I Really Need to Do This?As I’ve spoken to many mothers about this process, I’ve encountered several smart, “with it” women who say, “I don’t need to write everything down because I have a REALLY good memory.” And they’re right. They do. My sister is one of them. She can remember her third grade teacher’s birthday and every single doctor appointment without writing it down.

But what I told her, and what I’ll tell you, is that even if your memory is incredible, all these details are taking up space that could be used for moving your life forward in a purposeful way and enjoying it more. I’ll stop there because the results you’ll get from implementing this process will speak louder than anything else could say.

Another benefit to this collection process is that you will clearly be able to see what you have on your plate Then when you get a call from a friend asking you to do “just one little thing,” you can quite honestly tell her if you have the capacity to do it.

And as you see all the information you’ve been juggling, you’re going to realize that you are truly an amazing lady.

I disassembled my vacuum the other day because it was hardly picking up any dirt. The reason? It was clogged in five different places. I pulled out the gunk, changed the bag, and washed the filters so I could start fresh the next time I used it. Now when my two-year-old runs inside after rolling in the sandbox, I’m confident that clean-up will be a snap.

Just like my vacuum, we are going to give your mind a fresh start with this process. If you’re anything close to normal, you’ve probably got a lot of stuff in your brain that needs to be cleaned out, and I’ll show you how to keep it organized so you can work at optimum capacity for the rest of your life.

All right, no more dilly-dallying. It’s time to get to work with this collection process. You CAN do this. You WILL love the results. I promise.