How to get myself and my life organized?

[moimoi]

I want to sort out the stuffs (family-related, work-related, net addiction-related, procrastination-related ones) in my life because I feel as if waves were over me while I am sinking, drowning deeper and deeper in the infinite, bottom-less sea of life.

I am a teacher, I am single living at home (no problem with parents as I live separated from them and we respect each other's space and time) and I am addicted to the internet that leads to procrastination.
My room is in a mess, I can hardly find my files and things I need. I also postpone writing lesson plans (identify exercises, etc for upcoming lessons) then I am worried the other day knowing it will be hard to teach without a plan.
Yet, I rather choose to go online...even if I know it is bad and I am playing with losing my work as well if I don't stop it now somehow.

This internet addiction has its bad effects on my relationship with my family, too. I get angry when one comes in my room to talk to me... but of course I don't really do any serious stuff on-line then.

I procrastinate in everything except for surfing the net...
What I do online is: chat on MSN, Skype, check emails constantly, am on Facebook, watch/listen to youtube videos, read forums and blogs...and such. I know it is not okay, the way I deal with people and stuffs in my life now.

I am tired of all this. Feel drained and empty. Still, I keep being online
How should I get myself and my life organized???

Pieces of practical advice are needed that I can put into practice. Thanks!

[Brutha]

What's your life purpose?

[Dimond]

You can try using the internet stuff as more of a reward for accomplishing all the other things you need to do. If that doesn't work, you may have to get rid of some of it either permanently or temporarily.

I'm very neat and organized and find it extremely easy to be this way so I don't really know what to recommend other than to figure out a way that will allow you to also be. You use something, you put it back immediately. You have a specific place for everything so you can find things easily. You get rid of all unnecessary stuff-throw out, give to charity or others, etc.

You need to learn how prioritize. Get rid of every single thing in life that's unnecessary and focus on only what is important to you (this includes fun things as well). I wrote a brief article about this:
Dimond Health: Embrace Simplicity

Hope that helps some.

[janicelou]

I would take a good few hours to be with you and only you! Make sure no one will disturb you. Bring a pen and a piece of paper.

And start writing out things like.. what you want your life to be like in 5, 10, 15, 25, 50 years.

write out a description of the person you want to be in ever area of your life... your work, family life, social life, etc

write out what you want to learn, do, and experience...


write out your values...

I hope that helps

[CoolBee]

Re the internet addiction thing - one thing I did recently is to get a cheap internet package on a fairly basic pre-owned mobile phone (a Nokia 2330 which has Opera Lite on it and is definitely not a smartphone of any sort 'Crackberry' as I saw one referred to somewhere recently!) - so for around $3.50 per month, it's just about handy enough to check Facebook and my most important email addresses (I have LOTS) and read new posts on various forums, but is not convenient enough (given the phone!) to type anything but the most pressing comments, posts or whatever.

I'm finding it really helps - if I don't get my 'puter onto the internet, I save a couple of hours of random surfing.

Also, I try to have 2 days a week completely offline. Not always easy or possible depending what's going on. In Egypt 'they' cut our internet off completely for nearly a week during the revolution earlier this year, I've never had such a clean flat and achieved so much!

So, pick the best day to do it, close down your internet computer the night before around bedtime, and don't put it on until the whole of the DAY OFF has rolled around and it's the day after that. For the first time you do it, it's probably easier if you pick a DAY OFF where you know you will be out most of the day and preferably won't be coming home until night-time otherwise it will be giving out it's siren call all day long.

[Bongza]

First of all do some introspection and find out what is it that you want out life, basically what I'm saying is how you want your life to be like; and write everything down that comes to your mind.

From there, you must prioritise, may be you want to increase your finances then start searching for opportunities focus on that and have a strategy as to how you are going to do it and be aware of self sabotage feelings, procrastination and excuses.

If everytime you procrastinate, ask yourself why? because if you do not anything that means you enjoy being miserable therefore take action even 30 minutes a day to do something it is worth it. Yourself talk should always be positive in order to push you out of your comfort zone. Embrace growth and change | Just another WordPress.com site

[Clint Cora]

Bring whatever paperwork you need sorted out and book yourself a private study room at the public library. Start from there. Sometimes it takes a drastic change of environment to get the focus. And make sure you don't bring any computer or cellphone or anything that allows you to get online.

As for procrastination, here are some ideas from my video on it.

[C33]

The internet ( being behind a computer is addictive). I 've noticed that I get tired and aimless after surfing the net for more than 30 minutes.

One day without connecting to the net is a great idea, or time it to 30 minutes per day.

There is definitely something addictive. Scientists have already determined that too much computer use is linked to depression and mental illness...

It has become a bad habit that is affecting your productivity and possibly your livelihood.

[CoolBee]

And speaking of which, I have wasted around 12 hours online today doing nothing much at all and not getting done most of what I wanted. The only saving grace is that thanks to my little phone, I didn't connect my computer to the internet for nearly 3 days

[irfan]

Originally Posted by C33

One day without connecting to the net is a great idea, or time it to 30 minutes per day.

Whooooo! Only 30 minutes! A very spartan regime!

But I like the idea of internet-free days. I tried yanking my modem out of the computer the night before, so at least I'd have to go to the trouble of plugging it back in the next morning.

I also find it's better not to sink into the kind of passive/reactive mindset that pointless browsing evokes first thing in the day. At least wait until after lunch, or the evening. Actually, I don't really think reading the newspaper first thing in the morning is very good, either. Those things lead to a state of mind where you are reacting to input, rather than setting your own agenda.

The trouble is, internet addiction is a bit more like an eating disorder than like smoking: with smoking, you know you should just give it up. But eating can serve a useful purpose, as can using the internet. It's just hard sometimes to see where the line between constructive and destructive behavior lies.

Try an experiment: at the end of the day, go to the "History" section of your browser. Look at all the sites, forums, and articles you visited, participated in and read. Write down a summary of what you did, what people said, what kind of discussions you took part in. For a week or so, allow yourself to use the internet for any purpose you choose, without beating yourself up over it. Just keep a record at the end of the day of where you went and what you did.

I bet that just keeping that journal, without any other conscious attempt to change your behavior, will in itself result in positive changes.

Talk about being easier to tell other people than practice it yourself! It's 11:49! And what have I done today? Facebook hat forum reread my own blog read my own smart replies to Brutha's comments Facebook again email delete old email check the Fedora Lounge snoop on exgirl friend's website read about Erni Bajo again ........

Worse that the TV, innit?

I used to scream and kick when my mother wouldn't let me watch TV during daylight hours. Funny how when we get older we realize that our mother was right after all, isn't it?

[beautyscientist]

Well I recognised a lot in that, and I have a feeling I would quickly revert to exactly the same state if I didn't maintain a constant state of preparedness against it. Even now, I have lapses like I have had today at work when I must have burnt at least 2 hours, and certainly an hour and a half in exactly the activities moimoi describes.


First, let's live in the real world. Procrastination is a fact of life for many of us. It isn't a character defect or a sign of some failure to plan our lives properly or resonate with our true life's purpose or any other such mumbo jumbo. It is simply the mismatch between how our brains are structured and how we have ended up living. There are two important implications. The first is it isn't our fault, so blame and guilt are pointless and in fact make things worse. The second is that the situation isn't going to change, so there is no 'solution' in the sense of some some simple fix that will make it all right. Procrastination is not going to go away. All we can do is come up with a strategy to cope with it, or more likely a set of strategies. And these work will vary from person and even within our own lives depending on what we are trying to achieve.

I remain at constant risk of all forms of procrastination and I have far from solved it. But I have made some progress. Let me share a few things that work for me.

1. Get up early. I set my alarm for just before six and I am often up and functioning by 6.30am. This doesn't give me any more time - that is set by the rotation of the Earth and it doesn't give me any more energy - that is down to my physiology. But it does enable me to get on with things that are important without distractions. And the fact that I have to leave for work by 8.30am gives a non-arbitary non-negotiable deadline. So I have a daily example of disciplined use of time.

2. Only turn the computer on to do something specific. My current regime is not to turn it on until 9.00pm unless I need to use it for something.

3. Plan on paper. Having a plan is a great way to overcome procrastination. But I have found that every computer based system I have ever tried has either not worked in the first place or has collapsed very quickly.

4. Plan in detail, but don't make a detailed plan. I currently use a combination of planning tools and approaches. At work a tickle file of the 43 folders variety has been a huge asset for many years now. It keeps things on track really nicely. Every attempt to use the same technique in my home life and for other projects has failed. I am currently trialling a mini-tickler based on cards I can carry with me easily. But my main tool is simply a hard backed journal where I write summaries of what I have on and keep lists of actions. I write down a lot, but I try to keep my to do lists dead short. At any one time you can only work on about 3 things. The trick is to identify them and work on them. The order in which the rest of the list gets tackled isn't important. Having a list is important because if you know everything is on the list it frees up brain space for what you are actually doing.

5. Avoid distractions. Literally. Set your screen saver to kick in thirty seconds if you have to have your computer on. Have as little on your desk as you can that isn't directly related to what you are working on. Don't have the television on when you are working on something.

6. Pause. There will be unavoidable external distractions and most deadly of all internal distractions. These can't be ignored and can be difficult to resist. In the last couple of weeks I have discovered that if I simply pause for a few seconds, often my conscious mind can get control again. It isn't foolproof- especially when I am tired - but so far it is making a big difference.

Procrastination is truly the thief of time, and like other thieves you have to be on your guard against it all the time. And sometimes it will win. But it doesn't have to beat you every time.

(I have put a more detailed version of this reply on my blog.)

[moimoi]

Hi All,

Thank You very much for your helpful insights, replies, pieces of advice.
I usually find something helpful in each answer! Thanks guys!


@beautyscientist
I am reading your detailed answer on your blog now... I was surprised reading my thread on your site, but it's okay as helping is your intention as that of others, too.

[Curtis2011]

Originally Posted by moimoi

I want to sort out the stuffs (family-related, work-related, net addiction-related, procrastination-related ones) in my life because I feel as if waves were over me while I am sinking, drowning deeper and deeper in the infinite, bottom-less sea of life.

I am a teacher, I am single living at home (no problem with parents as I live separated from them and we respect each other's space and time) and I am addicted to the internet that leads to procrastination.
My room is in a mess, I can hardly find my files and things I need. I also postpone writing lesson plans (identify exercises, etc for upcoming lessons) then I am worried the other day knowing it will be hard to teach without a plan.
Yet, I rather choose to go online...even if I know it is bad and I am playing with losing my work as well if I don't stop it now somehow.

This internet addiction has its bad effects on my relationship with my family, too. I get angry when one comes in my room to talk to me... but of course I don't really do any serious stuff on-line then.

I procrastinate in everything except for surfing the net...
What I do online is: chat on MSN, Skype, check emails constantly, am on Facebook, watch/listen to youtube videos, read forums and blogs...and such. I know it is not okay, the way I deal with people and stuffs in my life now.

I am tired of all this. Feel drained and empty. Still, I keep being online
How should I get myself and my life organized???

Pieces of practical advice are needed that I can put into practice. Thanks!

I would normally suggest that you check out a training program called Wake Up Productive which is a great tool for organizing your life and getting things done.

However, it appears that the product is currently either not for sale, or that the seller's website is messing up right now.

[beautyscientist]

Originally Posted by moimoi

Hi All,

@beautyscientist
I am reading your detailed answer on your blog now... I was surprised reading my thread on your site, but it's okay as helping is your intention as that of others, too.

Sorry moimoi I should have asked first. Nobody reads my blog so it doesn't feel like I am making it public so it didn't cross my mind to seek permission.

[moimoi]

Originally Posted by beautyscientist

Sorry moimoi I should have asked first. Nobody reads my blog so it doesn't feel like I am making it public so it didn't cross my mind to seek permission.

Hey,

No problem! I was happy to read your detailed answer as well and thanks for it very much, too. I began reading your blog.

[strategicalcoach]

I find making a list of things to be done(I do a maximum of 6 things at a time) and breaking it down into smaller steps. This way as I check things off my list, I feel a sense of accomplishment and it gives me more mojo. It took me a long time to do things that I was 'inspired' to do because I was nervous that the things that I knew needed to be done, would never get done. But it turned out, as I took the pressure off of myself, and gave myself permission to do things when I was inspired to do them, it all got done. Sometimes I delegated things, other times my inspiration came from being tired of having it nagging in the background but for the most part my inspiration comes from wanting to do it for the sake of doing it(it sounded 'weird' to me when I first heard it but it works).

When we procrastinate, it's usually because we are avoiding something(more than just the obvious task at hand). Dig a little deeper..sometimes familiarity is the assassin to our genius.

Please keep us posted if you try any of the suggestions that have been posted in this thread and let us know what is working for you.

To your success!

[givingfahim]

It’s a rare person among us who doesn’t feel the need to get more organized. I consider myself fairly organized, for example, but there are times when I get a little lax about my organizational rules, and there’s always room for improvement.
The basic paperwork of your work schedule would be great for start to categorize the compulsory, moderate & optional tasks of your daily life so that you can set the priority level.
Using the recycle bin to throwaway your unnecessary tasks is a great concept.
The secret is to make sure that you have a bit of time left after all of your chores to spend time with yourself. It helps you to be organized within.

[javed]

Originally Posted by moimoi

[I]

This internet addiction has its bad effects on my relationship with my family, too. I get angry when one comes in my room to talk to me... but of course I don't really do any serious stuff on-line then.

I procrastinate in everything except for surfing the net...
What I do online is: chat on MSN, Skype, check emails constantly, am on Facebook, watch/listen to youtube videos, read forums and blogs...and such. I know it is not okay, the way I deal with people and stuffs in my life now.

I am tired of all this. Feel drained and empty. Still, I keep being online
How should I get myself and my life organized???

Pieces of practical advice are needed that I can put into practice. Thanks!

There are a few tricks, but the real solution is self discipline.
Self ddiscipline is not a pill that U take and woo hoo, everything becomes in order.
Like muscles, one need to build self discipline.
I apprecaite that u realise ur net addiction.
That is first step towards recovery.
Can U plan self discipline? Like a mandatory break after after 30 minutes of surfing? Break after posting 3 comments? Surfing only three sites and then disconnecting? You know ur circumstances well and can define ur cutoff lines well.
Start with small, persist and U will get the REAL solution.