breaking the resistance to decluttering - need help

[IsaFrench]

well, I've progressed a bit, the floor is reasonnably clean, the daily cleaning tasks mostly done, I went to swim a few laps so I'm relaxed & the kids are out with Dad for a few hours so that I can concentrate un-interrupted ...

yesterday I cleared up a large bookshelf piled up with a mix of stuff & I've reclaimed my fake-wood-plastic liner- covered old diaper boxes to go on some of the shelves so that I can "organise" papers and books and it won't look so cluttered visually when it's all in there ...

... now, there's a huge amount of stuff piled up on the dining room table and in a spare bedroom, I NEED to go through the stuff and decide what to keep, what to let go ....

so... I'm feeling physically unwell evey time I touch something from that pile, am at the computer trying to find a "miracle solution" by reading other posts INSTEAD of carrying on with my task, am having snacks too which were not quite necessary and "suddently" thinking of other little tasks that I "need" to do right now ...

any suggestions ?
TIA

[DTmama1]

When I am doing a project like that I like to set a timer for myself. 15 or 20 minutes that I am only allowed to work on that. No checking the computer or my phone etc, getting lost in other rooms, only the project at hand. When the timer goes off I set a timer to give myself a break, but can't get lost in the break, and then repeat the process a few times. You'd be amazed what you can get done in 20 minutes uninterrupted though when you're really focusing!

[mkksmom]

Yeah-- the timer helps me just do it too, but I completely understand the feeling of the task weighing on you.

[woodchick]

I often find that sorting is a good first step for me. For example- I have trouble attacking the stack of dishes in the sink when they're all piled up together. But if I take 5 minutes to stack the plates, bowls and glasses together and pile the silverware it doesn't seem so daunting and the washing doesn't take as long. Or another example- I would never count a jar of change by randomly grabbing coins and adding as I went (1+5+10+1+1+25..) I first sort the coins by denomination and then start counting.

For you, I'd start at the table and separate bills from kid's art from school notices from junk mail, etc. and then start making decisions about what to do with it.

Good Luck! I know how exhausting it can be!

[IsaFrench]

thanks for all of your replies ... I'm ever so slow progressing but am sure am learning a bit from every answer, even if I'm not putting it in practice the minute I read it ...

Woodchick, I tried your way & this morning I pulled out all of the old magazines that need to go to recycling (whislt talking on the phone to a friend about something else, it was easier then since I got distracted from my general anxiety ...)

tomorrow morning I should have a few hours alone again and am going to try to concentrate on another category ....

[~Adorkable~]

I like to think of things like this as something I "want done" rather than something I "need to do".
It helps me feel more in control of my life and my actions.