How do you keep your life organized? With a million possible projects, and just daily work, its making me anxious.

7 comments

1. I also work from home. Over the years I have developed a list, which I refine every so often as needed. The list is simply a checklist of everything I need to check on each day to verify that there is something not absolutely due that day.

   Of course on most days the list gets checked off relatively quickly because there are not many things that are absolutely due on each day. Working through the checklist each day usually takes just about 20 minutes. It provides a way for me to know that everything that has to be done is done. It also provides an unofficial ”notice” of other projects that are coming due soon.

   I always do the checklist first before I start any other projects. Once that’s done I know that disaster is avoided for the day, and everything else is gravy. Makes the rest of the day run a lot smoother knowing in the back of my mind that if something doesn’t get finished for some reason it’s not the end of the world.

2. I often feel very similar to what you are describing.
   When my father passed away I was tasked with handling his estate which seemed a bit overwhelming.

   I decided to do one thing a day even if it was just a phone call or mail something. Eventually it all got done. I try to do that now with everyday stuff. It does help. But I still have a hundred projects or things that need fixing.

3. I got prescribed Adderall recently and it is night and day in terms of getting stuff done. I finally have the energy and focus to get things done in my life! Maybe talk to your physician?

4. Aside from doing minor cleaning when I’m having trouble concentrating, I don’t work on any type of home projects until 6 PM at least. Unless of course it’s something on my checklist that absolutely has to be done for some reason. But I rarely have any home projects that absolutely have to be done.

5. My wife has this problem. She’s solved it by writing all the tasks individually on post-it notes and hanging them on the wall where she can see them. Finish a task, throw away the post it.

6. As a person with ADHD:

   Write it down. Plan your day beforehand (night before) and you only need to worry about following your own orders. If you think of other stuff, have a list nearby for tomorrow.

   It feels great checking things off lists!

7. I make lists and/or add items to my calendar. If it’s on my calendar then I feel I have to do it because I made a point to set aside time (and to not accept other plans) for said item.

   On other thing that REALLY helps is [this analogy about juggling](https://www.thebalancecareers.com/work-life-balance-and-juggling-glass-and-rubber-balls-2275864). It’s used generally for work but you can totally take it in to your normal life.