Divide & Conquer

A project I recently started had me drawing parallels to the Hoarders show on A&E. 

When faced with the following, the thought of getting started can be daunting.  Where do I start?  How am I ever going to get through all this?  This is going to take forever! 

The first step here is to take a step back!  Instead of looking at the project as a whole, break it down into more manageable pieces.  If I had solely looked at the big picture, I would have felt completely overwhelmed and unsure of where to start.  This is where I always rely on my Divide & Conquer strategy.

If you can enlist some assistance in your Divide & Conquer game plan then great, but even if you are tackling the project solo, the motto still applies.  Break it down and cross if off as it is done.  There is something very satisfying in seeing a long to-do list being checked off one item at a time.  Before you know it your list will be entirely checked-off!! 

When feeling discouraged, keep in mind that things take time.  There is no point in rushing through the job and shoving items in another location to feel like you are getting one area done.  You are just delaying the inevitable.  Nike’s “Just do it” slogan does not only apply to sports, if you “Just do it” then you get it over with and can move onto something more enjoyable.  Have you ever noticed how if you procrastinate on something, when you finally get around to doing it you feel so much better?  More often than not, the task was not as difficult or painful as one initially thought. 

Finally, it is important to enjoy and appreciate the efforts and results of each step that make up the entire project.  As you conquer each of your divided chunks, review your progress and see how each task that you complete is bringing you closer to completing your entire project.  Congratulate yourself and keep that momentum going!

Happy organizing!