Your Priorities, Passions, and Gifts Create Context for Your Clutter

I was helping a client organize her office the other day. The surfaces were clear. The floor was clear. We had a lot of papers to go through.

But we had to stop. Before we could proceed, I needed to know her priorities. She had mentioned half a dozen interests and activities in which she participated. She was in the midst of rethinking her life. But in order for us to move forward, she needed to identify her mission and vision for her life.

We had a fascinating conversation about where she wanted to go and how her background would support her in this direction. We talked about incorporating our spiritual lives in our work, which is important to both of us. And I was able to share some of the things I have learned about owning my businesses, marketing them, etc.

As a result of our chat, she could easily determine which papers, books, etc. were important to her goals and which were not. She loves to learn, and loves incoming information, but she needed a filtering system to determine boundaries.

We also set up some simple systems for incoming paper and email. Filing systems should not be so complicated that
- you dread using them, or
- you can't remember what you have, or
- you forget how to use them!

Before organizing anything, knowing your own priorities and passions and gifts is essential! How else can you know if your clutter should be kept or not?

Do you have a mission and vision for your life? Do you know what your priorities, passions, and gifts are? Email subscribers click here to comment on the original blog.


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Reduce Your Stress - Say No
Why Throw Shallow New Years' Resolutions at Yourself When You Really Need to Rethink Life?
Getting Organized for School (and life!) - Determining The Legacy You Want to Leave Your Children

Discover your passions, priorities, and gifts! Any of the time management books in the 1-2-3...Get Organized series will help you think through these critical concepts. Rethinking Life is an interactive coaching package with Beverly Coggins should you prefer verbal processing.