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Trying Hard to Organize My Life!

post #1 of 37
7/28/08 at 9:51am
Thread Starter 
The other day, I asked my husband, "do you sometimes come home and think a bomb has exploded in the living room and all we've done that day is watch videos?"

He sheepishly answered "yes."

Ouch.

He's trying to help me get things together. Organized. A schedule. I REALLY need this....I just worry I'll fall off the bandwagon, yet again.

How do you mamas stay on a schedule? This is actually a pretty good one-- he's included an AM outing so we don't stay inside all day long (easy to do in Texas) and time for art in the PM-- something I always want to do but never do.

All tips for staying on track are encouraged, needed and appreciated! :
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post #2 of 37
7/28/08 at 10:39am
I'm in the process of instituting a new schedule. Right now I'm in the stage where you force yourself to follow it because you know that soon you'll love it. So, that's my tip. Force yourself And eventually you'll depend on your schedule and enjoy the benefits.
post #3 of 37
7/28/08 at 11:49am
I agree...force yourself, but you can make it easier if you find a friend to meet on your daily outing, then you have accountability mixed in. That way you get the schedule and get the outing and a bit of social interaction as well. That is motivation enough for me.
post #4 of 37
7/28/08 at 2:53pm
I'm the same way. Are you an INFP?

I've often fantasized about kidnapping a neat freak and having her walk around with me all day whispering things in my ear.

"At this point in my day I'd be doing laundry, and while I was waitin for another load I would vacuum, and after I vacuum I always alphabetize my beauty products."

Okay I'm being silly, but really because my personality (and I do think this is almost 100% personality because my mom is a neat freak, my sis and my gma too) I am just not good at knowing what to do with myself.

I'm not productive, I run around in circles.

So I would like a neat freak to just kind of laboriously detail her motions throughout the day.

There is a lady on here that I'd think would make an excellent coach.

Neat freaks don't usually sympathize with us though. My best friend is a neat freak. I attract them, I don't know why.
post #5 of 37
7/28/08 at 3:19pm
Thread Starter 
What is an INFP? Maybe I'm one!

My Mom called me today and wanted to see if I wanted to hang out in the afternoon. I said "no," but didn't tell her why.

Good gravy, it is because crafts, chores and PM activity is scheduled in.

I'm a total loser. My husband was like YOU TELL HER YES. YOU DON'T HAVE TO STICK TO THE SCHEDULE LIKE GLUE!

But! I thought that was the point! I take it so literally that one deviated minute will cause the whole thing to crash.

If you find a neat organized person, please let me borrow her.
post #6 of 37
7/28/08 at 3:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Savoir Faire View Post
What is an INFP? Maybe I'm one!

My Mom called me today and wanted to see if I wanted to hang out in the afternoon. I said "no," but didn't tell her why.

Good gravy, it is because crafts, chores and PM activity is scheduled in.

I'm a total loser. My husband was like YOU TELL HER YES. YOU DON'T HAVE TO STICK TO THE SCHEDULE LIKE GLUE!

But! I thought that was the point! I take it so literally that one deviated minute will cause the whole thing to crash.

If you find a neat organized person, please let me borrow her.
An INFP is a type on the Meyers Brigg scale. http://similarminds.com/myers-briggs-jung.html


And on schedules at least with me, if I go off of it, it's totally crashed. I'm too aloof and hate having my time pinned into sections, though it totally helps and fixes all my problems.

Balance is not my strong suit.
post #7 of 37
7/28/08 at 3:24pm
Thread Starter 
I just looked up INFP.



THAT IS ME. It was so me that it freaked me out. The kicker? At the end about the people liking to write?

I am a writer. That's what I do as a living....because I typically can't say verbally (without it getting mixed up) what I'm trying to think!

So how does an INFP learn to have a somewhat normal/organized life??
post #8 of 37
7/28/08 at 3:26pm
You know, if you can stomach it, Flylady really has some good ways to get started on routines. I don't follow her religiously, but I've adopted some ideas and her underlying principles are really growing on me. Everyone seems to agree that it works best to add one habit at a time -- and that it takes about 3 weeks for a habit to stick.

I agree that forcing oneself to stick to a rough rhythm of how the day goes is really helpful, and that after a while it just feels natural. I take my kids on an outing every morning. They have quiet time every afternoon. They have time to play with other kids most days, etc. Also, I've totally kicked my own butt and mostly decluttered our living room, which is also the playroom. Then I was able to start tidying it every day. Then I started doing a proper kitchen cleanup every night, and then I added making sure that clean laundry was put away. Finally, I love Flylady's daily swish and swipe -- now my bathrooms are always clean and I don't have to worry that someone will drop in and use the bathroom . I get almost nothing done while my kids are awake, so I have to do the majority of my housework after they go to bed, but it's worth it .
post #9 of 37
7/28/08 at 3:27pm
BTW, I am INFP too . I get off track really easily, so building lasting habits and routines is especially important for me.
post #10 of 37
7/28/08 at 3:29pm
There is no cure.

The only success I've found it to have as little commitments/stuff as possible.

Wrangle what you do have and take lots of time off to think inside your head.

This is awesome, so many of us right here in the organizing department.
post #11 of 37
7/28/08 at 3:53pm
Thread Starter 
I think so much that I scare my therapist.
post #12 of 37
7/28/08 at 4:06pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Savoir Faire View Post
What is an INFP? Maybe I'm one!

My Mom called me today and wanted to see if I wanted to hang out in the afternoon. I said "no," but didn't tell her why.

Good gravy, it is because crafts, chores and PM activity is scheduled in.

I'm a total loser. My husband was like YOU TELL HER YES. YOU DON'T HAVE TO STICK TO THE SCHEDULE LIKE GLUE!

But! I thought that was the point! I take it so literally that one deviated minute will cause the whole thing to crash.

If you find a neat organized person, please let me borrow her.
Maybe you should stick to your schedule for 1-2 weeks until you've gotten more used to it, THEN start deviating. Also, plan that on days you have unexpected events come up, you'll drop the activities (crafts, etc) but still run around and do the chores when you get home.
post #13 of 37
7/28/08 at 8:12pm
If you do deviate from your schedule, don't try to make it up-- just pick up at the time you are back.
Don't beat yourself up if you have to do something and miss a daily chore. It will be there when you do your schedule tomorrow and you can do it then. So if you go to your mom's all day and don't do anything on your schedule- it's ok, don't try to make it up, just start over again in the morning.
It's more of a guideline. ;-)
post #14 of 37
7/29/08 at 4:53am
Im aweful with keeping a schedule. Even when I try to keep to one I find myself side tracked by the smallest things. Like today I had on my schedule to cook bread, clean the living room and do laundry.. The bread is the only thing to get done.
post #15 of 37
7/29/08 at 9:41am
Ha - I struggle with this so I clicked on the discussion and then I saw "are you an INFP?" - I just had to laugh, because I AM and I too want to kidnap an organized person! Thanks for the lol!

Oh - an obviously, no suggestions
post #16 of 37
7/29/08 at 11:31am
Great thread Savoir Faire!

I was hoping to find a solution to my chronicly messy home...ditto the bomb going off with hubby thinking we watched videos all day.

And yes! I just took the test and I am INFP.

"INFP - "Questor". High capacity for caring. Emotional face to the world. High sense of honor derived from internal values. 4.4% of total population."

This is so me! To a "T"...although, it kind of makes me sad to find out that there is only 4.4% people out there like me.

I am terrible about following schedules. I have made several actually, but end up losing them, give up too easily, etc. And I am starting to think that what is difficult for me just comes naturally to others like time managment. I just don't have an internal task master and I am terrible about keeping track of the passing of time. Which might be linked to me being unable to wear watches b/c I "kill" them

I have no solution but wanted to say that you are not alone
post #17 of 37
7/29/08 at 1:10pm
INFP-Questor here,too! I'm in the 4.4% with you and implementing a schedule,too!
post #18 of 37
7/29/08 at 6:05pm
I've been several different things on the Myers-Briggs, but always an I something.

I can't do that kind of schedule. It makes me sick to my stomach to think about it. It's too much pressure. I have to want to change, y'know? I've been making small small progress—sorta 2 steps forward, 1.5 steps backward—but I think it's progress.

I think realizing I like to get out most days helps and realizing I start to feel sorta cabin fevery when I stay in too much helps, but I can't write it down or I'll start to feel pressured and resent it. I just have to stop and ask myself, "do I want my living room to look like a bomb went off in here?" and act accordingly (which, I suppose, is why I am posting on MDC instead of cleaning it up .)
post #19 of 37
7/29/08 at 6:15pm
okay, I procrastinated more and took that test (it's a short version, btw) and got ISFP. My S-N and F-T are very close. My I and my P are very solid.
post #20 of 37
7/29/08 at 6:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by beanma View Post
okay, I procrastinated more and took that test (it's a short version, btw) and got ISFP. My S-N and F-T are very close. My I and my P are very solid.
All you really need is the P to fit in here. It's the part that makes us disorganized.