It seems we all have “survival mode” moments where staying organized is a real challenge. During these times, I think simply maintaining some semblance of order can be a good goal. I am currently in “survival mode” about 80% of the time, which means taking care of food, water, sleep, and shelter consumes the bulk of my energy. We have a spunky 2-year-old and a hungry 4-month-old who are both increasing my capacity daily. I am sleep deprived, constantly hungry (breastfeeding ~8 times a day does that), and basically always doing something to keep us clean and dry. I know this newborn phase is short, so I genuinely appreciate the grind most of the time. I also find a lot of humor in how ridiculous some stages can be.
We humans definitely need to attend to our basic needs before we can accomplish things at a higher level. Moving past survival mode creates stability and gives us the ability to serve others. Survival, stability, and service all have a cyclical ebb and flow. A single day usually take us through all the cycles.
I read recently about the “1 Minute Rule” by Gretchen Rubin. The rule basically says, if it takes less than a minute to do, then do it now. Upon reading this, I knew immediately I am a rule follower (at least this one- LOL). Doing little things in the moment helps to decrease the inevitable buildup of chores and disorder.
Many of my solutions for organizing in “survival mode” involve multitasking with self-care. I pretty much always brush my teeth in the shower. I order groceries on my phone while laying down for a moment. I make lists and do meal planning while eating. I listen to encouraging audios while cooking and cleaning. I take out the trash and get the mail (which I immediately open in the garage to recycle junk and packaging) while appreciating a breath of fresh air.
My daily habits also help me stay organized during the daily grind. I practice the “power unpack”, which means each time I arrive home I race to unpack, clean, and restock things ASAP. I also like to do prep work the night before. I often lay out stuff for breakfast (including vitamins), pick out clothes, load the car, and make my daily “to do” list before going to bed. Another habit, I am learning to love, is asking for help and working together to see things through to completion. I am a big list maker. I have daily, weekly, and long-term “to do” lists in my phone. In fact, I write lists for all sorts of things, including: groceries, gifts, schedules, travel, goals, and spending tracking. I appreciate having a daily top priority item, which I address as soon as basic needs are met. I take breaks and set up rewards for myself. Sometimes, I find re-scheduling things for a future date is a great way to lift burdens. Doing one thing at a time and getting it done now feels better to me than jumping back and forth between unfinished tasks. I call myself a finisher, which sort of makes me feel like a superhero or maybe a pro-wrestler… Meg, The Finisher, Schenck… LOL.
I am currently reading “The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning” by Margareta Magnusson (a wise and funny author who says she is between 80 and 100 years old). Some of my favorite wisdom from Margareta compares organizing to weeding the garden. She writes, “When I think of everything that grows and when I think of everything that we shred, tear, and break to pieces and even bury to get rid of, it is a good thing that all that junk does not come back bigger and stronger the next year in the way that some plants and weeds do.” I find it so encouraging that our stuff doesn’t grow like weeds, because then I can actually get better at my organization chores!
It is difficult for me to give to others while I am focusing on keeping my head above water. But the truth is, the more value I add to people the better I feel. Right now, I am in a phase of life where caring for babies regularly puts me in “survival mode”, and I am leaning on my basic organization skills to stabilize things and hopefully raise my level into service more frequently.
Love Always,
Meg
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