It happens. You’re watching your weight, and that candy bar in the vending machine calls your name. You break down and eat the candy bar in practically two bites. The high is brief. Then you beat yourself up and think the whole diet is ruined. If that’s the case, you might as well order that pizza with extra, extra cheese, right? Wrong! Backsliding happens. It’s normal.
The same applies to organizing. If you backslide and let the papers stack up and the emails go undeleted, it’s okay. If the laundry takes a couple of days longer to get done, it’s okay. If you leave dishes in the sink, it’s okay. Just take a deep breathe. Then start again. Grab a stack of papers and go through it. Just like that, and you’re back on the organizing train.
The important thing is to stop yourself from beating yourself up. If paper stacks up, it doesn’t mean you’re failure or a loser. You’re human. It’s more important to keep moving forward instead of focusing on the past. Instead of dwelling on the candy bar or how you left dishes in the sink, go forward. Think about the exercise you’re planning for the next day. Envision the clean dishes stacked in the cabinet.
Organization is not about perfection. It’s about living the life you want, completing the things you want to get done, and reaching the goals you want to attain. If you backslide a bit, keep your chin up. Congratulations! You’re normal.
