Good bye clutter.

One of the things that I found in my life was the increasing clutter, not just the physical things but the mental things too. I had a litany of unfinished projects and thoughts that where taking up space in my head and the feeling of being overwhelmed.  I would get to work and just stand there not really knowing where to start or what to do. The problem with this was that I felt worse because I didn’t accomplish anything  . In the past having lots of projects  was fun and exciting, I’m an ideas guy looking for new possibilities. My completion rate was  good. As time progressed with all my other responsibilities I found I just had more derelict unfinished projects on my hands that I didn’t have the time or patience to complete. So I decided it was time to clean up my mess so I could make space and move forward again.

This is the process that I used to do this. It’s called the 4D’s.

• Do it.
• Dump it.
• Delegate it.
• Date it.

It’s  pretty simple, first I took a piece of paper, blank nothing on it. Then I started to make a list of all the things that I had outstanding from books to return, projects around the house, communications that I had been putting off for a while. The next step was to take the list and use one of the 4 D’s. I either got out and Did it and then could strike it off the list. I Dumped it and decided not to  EVER!!!! do it, gave it away or any other method to get rid of it. Delegated it off to some one else so I didn’t have to do it or Dated it so that I could come back and look at it in a few months or a year or two so that I didn’t need to be thinking about it.

When it came to dealing the list I also tried to start with the one that coursed me the most grief as it freed up the most space. Here I am a year or so later left with a few small projects that I can handle. I got rid of the old trucks that I thought would be fun to fix up. I gave away for free the time share that cost money each year and that we didn’t use. I phoned people that I need to complete business with and even let go of a couple of friends that I felt drained  by every time I visited with them. Now I seem to have a lot more space and energy and have a bunch of room to start creating again, just like this blog.