h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Today, I spent seven hours clearing papers in my office. My office, not *the* office. I decided to throw paper files of anything I have on the computer and there was so much that if I read it from now until the end of it, I would probably not leave work for several years. I filled seven mail sacks full (well half full - they're too heavy to life when they're completely full!).

And there's still more to go. I didn't want to go home at the end of the day, I was on such a high from clearing. Mind you, my feet are really sore from all the standing up.

I got rid of all references to my predecessor including photographs and I took great care to get rid of anything mentioning former team members, particularly those who gave me so much grief. I'm laying ghosts here and it feels good.

PLEEASE! tell me how I need to do likewise. I keep starting, then go off the idea. I would have so much more room, and less to hunt through when I wanted things.

I have succeeded in keeping my office to the back bedroom, but every now and then it flows in to the spare room, and it is driving me mad

I have to do a stock check as I have our new and recycled goods as well as all the display stuff and office clutter. I had promised myself I would attack it this month, but it is so hot and humid I haven't got the energy A terrific thunder storm this evening still hasn't cleared the air.

Any tips would be welcome.

Websailor

i think it started with having my astrology done on Monday, (details on Astrolion in my journal). Sounds funny, I know, but one of the things I asked about was, 'If I'm a Virgo, who's meant to be organised, why am I so disorganised?' He looked at my chart and told me that I had an overplus of Virgo - Sun Sign, Moon in Virgo, Ascendant in Virto and he thought I was balancing it all out by going to the opposite of Virgo - Pisces, which is the most disorganised sign. (Pisceans can balance their disorganisation by going to the opposite sign, Virgo). He knows a Piscean who is very organised because she uses Virgo. The key is discipline.

So I thought, I have it, why not use it? I think one of the things which was holding me back was thinking of myself as a disorganised person. If I think of myself as an organised person, then it's a question of identifying the time. In a way, he gave me permission to be organised. Does that sound strange?

Luckily at work, while the schools are out is a quiet time at work. The Away Day I had with them has settled a lot of things and brought out a lot of issues, so there weren't many mental things going on. Although it was very hot in the office, and I was getting a bit of backache at the end, I was very motivated to do it. I was throwing the paper files that I can always access better on the computer anyway. Often if I want something, I will go to the computer and print off whatever it is I want. Then I have it twice, or three times. There is a moral dilemma - as someone with conservationist ideals, I don't like wasting paper, however I can balance that out with my own mental health and the fact that we recycle all our paper at work. So the papers went into the correct recycling bags - one type for white paper and the other for coloured and light card. Bingo - moral problem solved.

The other thing I would recommend is listening to a CD set by a chap called David Allen called 'Getting things done fast' http://www.davidco.com/ - see the 'tips and tools' section. I didn't get my copy direct from him, but I have over the years bought at least 15-20 sets of tapes/CDs and this is the single most useful one I have ever bought. Might not work for everyone, of course.

I think the key is that you become what you expect to become. If I think of myself as a disorganised person, that's what I'll be.

The other factor is that I used to be an 'away from' motivated person. That isn't great at going places. Even setting goals didn't work that well. If I can really see what I want and go for that (a clear tidy organised office, for instance), then it makes it easier for me.

When I got home last night, I hadn't the energy to do it all over again at home, so I had a really early night. My vision for how I want my home to be isn't as clear as my office yet. Still, I'm getting there.

I suppose, astrologically speaking, now is a good time to be doing this kind of stuff. I believe Mercury is retrograde, and while that's not good for pursuing projects, it is good for finishing things off, so the astrological 'weather' supports what I am doing at the moment.

Like you, I have a spare bedroon which has all the bits and pieces I need to organise properly - lots of boxes of papers and projects I need to go through and sort. My feeling is that it's like the old saying:

Q How do you eat and elephant?

A One mouthful at a time!

Oh yes, he also noticed that I have Mars in Saggitarius, which means I want do do what's in front of me. He advised that if that happens (the urge), that I should put it off and not do it right away, unless it is something that really needs doing straight away. If I write it down on my actions list, then I won't forget about it (which is what I fear - if I don't do it right away, I'll either forget it, or lose the impetus). I should only do one thing at a time (two at most). Generally, I have the scattergun effect, rather than taking focussed action.

There - does that help, Websailor ?

Well done ! #


I wish I could summon the energy and discipline to sort my clutter out once and for all.
*sigh*
I guess I need to stop seeing myself as a disorganised Libran.

*Are* Librans disorganised, LSF? I've always thought of Libra as balanced (oh, alright, looking for balance) and I have lots in Libra too - in fact most of my chart is crunched together over on one side, with very little on the other side.

I'm convinced, though, that as I've been relatively disorganised for most of my life, that it was something innate in me. Now I can see that I have it in me, it does make it easier. And if I can do it, so can you!

Maybe it's just me then.

I always see air signs as trying to be organised, but having too many other things to do!

Come to think of it, other people see me as organised in my own way. When I strap on my rucksack to go wandering around the , I tend to take everything that I could possibly need. Or is that just another sort of clutter?

When I first went travelling to Egypt 10 years ago, all I took with me was a change of clothes, a long piece of material (to function as a sheet and a means of covering my scarlet hair), some paper, a pen, a guidebook from the library, a couple of plasters and a bottle of tea tree oil.
When I went to India some years later, I ended up taking a massive rucksack and having to lug all 20kg of it around.

The way that I see Libras is that they *need* balance and constantly strive for it. But that's not to say that they find it - I know I don't.

Hi, Leopardskin fellow Libran, and

I am a Libran too, and I am very organised - in short bursts - I couldn't do what I do if I wasn't, but I do need motivation. I think I should have been a journalist as I work better with a deadline looming, if that makes sense

I tend to print off stuff too much, as it is not always convenient to use the computer, especially to show something to someone else. I also have this worry that Fb and others will appreciate - if my computer goes kaput I might lose everything. I put as much onto disk as I can, but with no computer I couldn't use those either so hard copy is a comfort. The cost of my printer cartridges mean I shall have to seriously curtail my printing though.

As a conservationist too, I worry about paper use. Still, I use 100% recycled paper in the first instance, re-use everything I can, and the back of every A4 sheet of paper that comes through my letterbox gets used for unimportant or file copies. Envelopes are re-used, even the direct mail printed ones if I can cover up the printing!

I think my motivation will return when the weather gets a bit cooler but don't hold me to that . I prefer to

Not very well versed in the except for family traits, but I think I suit my sign, or my sign suits me in most respects.

Websailor

Hi, Leopardskin,

I hope your Leopardskin was acquired legally or I might have to turn you in

You are so right - I need balance in all things, and without it I get very bad tempered. I think you are right about carrying everything you need. I always have everything with me that everyone else might need, never mind just me! And yes, thinking about it, it probably is just clutter, but when travelling in particular it can save a lot of money.

I firmly believe that I need "things" around me because I need reassurance which people do not always give me.

does that make sense to you


Websailor

It's me again, I'm afraid,

Just looked at your space Leopardskin, and found it most interesting. I already use Tea Tree Oil, Arnica, Lavender, Chamomile tea etc.

I wondered if you had any thoughts on Manuka Honey? A friend of mine has found it very good for all sorts of things. I do wonder if it would help with MRSA. It seems to me they have to look at every possibility as "orthodox" methods are clearly not working.

I too was furious they were trying to block the use of so many alternative or natural remedies. It's the big boys trying bully boy tactics again.

Has your friend had her baby yet?

Sorry about your tree. My neighbour cut eight down a few weeks ago, and as for Network Rail, well words fail me.

Websailor

The Joy of Uncluttering indeed.....something that some of us magpie Taureans dream about, and do only sporadically, but then, waah!

Leopardskin, I also visited your space and was delighted to see lavender oil up there in first place. It is miraculous stuff. A few years ago, I chopped deeply into my hand with a pair of tin-shears, right between thumb and first finger. I looked with amazement into the rather deep hole that had opened up ( surprisingly unbloody and relatively painless ) and decided that if I went to the hospital A&E, I'd be waiting for four to five hours, whereupon a young and inexperienced trainee would probably cause me much more pain by stitching the cut. So I dabbed superglue along the edges ( what it was originally designed for ) doused it with lavender oil, and covered with a small bandage. A week later it was fully healed with no scarring! Thanks to lavender.

I'm surprised your list did not include fresh root ginger, the supreme anti-nauseant for all types of travelling ( and pregnancy ).

Cheers,

Chaiwallah \|/

I've always been a kitchen sink person, LSF1 Although I managed to take rather less with me this year than I usually do, there were still things I didn't use, like the hairdrier and iron (the hotel and ship had hairdriers already and we were specifically told not to use irons on the ship). I've always admired people who can pack minimally. I'm not sure why I can't.

'I always see air signs as trying to be organised, but having too many other things to do!' Sounds just like me.

We must be twins, Websailor! That sounds exactly like me - organised in short bursts. I work best in short bursts and to a deadline. I seem to need external motivation to get things done. I do all the things you do with my computer and for the same reasons.

I too prefer to .

'I firmly believe that I need "things" around me because I need reassurance which people do not always give me.' Yes, that makes perfect sense, and again, it could apply to me.

I'm a bit of a magpie too, Chai - could that be because I have Jupiter in Taurus? I have been turfing out books over the last year, but I still have seven bookcases.

Interesting about the lavender. When I chopped off a small piece of my left thumb (complete with a bit of thumbnail), I was treated with Rescue Remedy cream and the skin healed without a scab forming and absolutely perfectly. I was amazed.

I didn't know superglue was first intended to be used on skin? Was it really? It sounds the stuff of an h2g2 entry!

I'm trying to do some uncluttering here at home. Doesn't help that I've a sinus headache at the moment and that does sap energy.

Thanks for dropping by my space Websailer and Chaiwallah.
Next time come for and !



"I firmly believe that I need "things" around me because I need reassurance which people do not always give me."

I understand where you're coming from on that one.
It makes it harder to make space for the things that you want to bring into your life though doesn't it?
Assurance is a funny old game. We all know that we need to find it within ourselves, but we tend to look for it in other people.



And a big for Lavender!

The reason that I don't have root ginger on my space, is that it is quite a potent herb according to traditional Chinese medicine, and it doesn't suit everyone.

Sinus headaches are nasty.


You could try using your middle fingers to press either side of your nose and sweep upwards over your forehead, and then to press your thumbs either side of your nose and sweep down underneath your cheekbones.

You don't have to do them both at the same time!


I heard from a student once that superglue can be used to close wounds. I didn't know that was it's original function though.

Well there is a form of glue used to close wounds.

LSF!

'It makes it harder to make space for the things that you want to bring into your life though doesn't it?' True. Reminds me of the story of the young man who asked a Zen master about wisdom. The Zen master gave the man a cup and proceeded to pour tea into it. He poured and poured and the tea spilled over and over. The young man asked why he was doing it. Tne Zen master told him that his mind was like the cup; it had to be emptied before it could be filled.

Yes, I know the more I rely on the inner me, the less I have to rely on externals and the happier I am. Still working on this one! I'm begining also to be more comfortable with conflict, which used to be a big issue for me - I would do almost anything to avoid it, which might include agreeing to do things I didn't really want to do, and more often not speaking up about things that bothered me. I'm much more able to do this now.

The headache is less intense now. Thanks. (I didn't do them both at once.)

Lavender - YAY!

Z, how is the glue used in the medical world - as an emergency measure, or as part of a 'usual' routine?

<fish.

Hope the is better.

Websailor

I should be able to type it by now

Ah! that's better. That uncluttering the brain was a good idea, but it doesn't work like that. It stores the useless stuff at the front and buries the important stuff deep!!

Websailor

How true, Websailor!

That's why one of the things David Allen has you do is a 'mind sweep', where you go through your house from front to back, making a note of everything that needs doing. Once it's done and in writing, it frees your mind.

What's in the front of the mind is like the RAM of a computer, which is only a small amount of what's in storage. You have to free as much RAM as possible so that you don't have to carry your 'to do' list in your mind. Once it's committed to paper/computer/collection system, it frees your mind. You can then look more dispassionately at what you have to do. Then you can do it for your office work or any other type of thinking you have to do.

The idea is that if you have effective and efficient collection and processing systems, you can free your mind for more important work and it should also free up a lot of energy/ That's the theory. I'm just trying to put it into practice.

I have made a planner with spaces for every activity I do - email, phone, letters, people to see, things to do Urgent, household things, garden stuff, shopping, pay bills, stuff for my charity etc. etc.

Everything I have to do is entered, however trivial, and there is a column to tick them off as I do them. Getting them out of my head releases the tension, and seeing them ticked off is great. Any left over at the end of the day are transferred to tomorrow.

I find it is very therapeutic, I don't have to carry things in my head and I can see clearly whether I have had a good day or a bad day.

I suppose that is a similar thing to what you were talking about. It works for me anyway, especially as I have a hubbie who drives me to distraction, and makes me forget things

Websailor

Ah, Websailor , I'm impressed. You're obviously much more organised at home than I am. I'm becoming more organised at work and hope to carry the principles over to home.

I think one of the reasons for doing it at work first, is that there are more 'time-urgent' things at work. Here at home, I have important things, like getting the outside of the house maintained (painting windows, fixing broken windows in the 'conservatory' (more a lean-to, really), getting a new TV aerial, etc. These things are all important, but they're not urgent. I think I have two main reasons for not doing them. Firstly, I don't like people coming into my house to do things - I've found people often don't come when they say they're coming and I don't like the feeling of being judged (this is all my stuff and all on the inside), and the second is the cost. However, if I don't find out how much it will cost, then I can't plan for it.

I wonder if these are just my issues, or if they're fairly common?