How Can I Deal With It All?

Are you feeling overwhelmed? Have a to-do list a mile long? An in-tray that's about to collapse? Closets that are jam-packed with junk and a stack of family photos?

Now school is starting and things are just going to get worse! How can you deal with it all?

Often when we look at all there is to do, it can seem and is overwhelming. But if we chunk it down into smaller tasks the world starts to look a lot brighter. Try this 4S strategy.

Sort it.

First review the four areas you want to tackle and determine the following: 1) tasks you enjoy and only you can do such as attend to personal appointments; 2) the things you don't like doing and can transfer to someone else; and, 3) those items you've been meaning to do.

Start it.

Stop procrastinating. Start doing what you find fun and only you can do...now. Don't undertake everything at once or set unrealistic deadlines. Just do one small task to build momentum. Baby steps will turn into giant leaps. Remember make it fun. You'll have a good time and feel a sense of accomplishment.

Share it.

The items you designated as "don't like to do" are the ones you should delegate. If you really don't want to do these things then it's time to find someone else to do them. There will always be something else you prefer to do. So, those items that you are the least enthused about will continue to be a source of frustration and an energy drain for you. Find family members who can help out or hire someone to do the job.

Stuff it.

If there are tasks that continue to show up on your to-do list year in and year out, it may be time to drop them. All the magazines you've been planning to read, get rid of them. That fancy photo album/baby book you've imagined with stencils, calligraphy and witty comments might need to be replaced with a simpler version. Old baby clothes and toys, could be passed on to others. Make some choices and give yourself permission to let go. You'll feel great and get rid of clutter at the same time.

Lisa Martin, PCC, is the author of the acclaimed

In The News:
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/2008/11/californias_sle.htmlcid=1273018732ei=2T0oScCvE6KO6APrqsyIBwusg=AFQjCNFKbVFN2Sddl5XsiAdivA9KHUL75gCalifornia#39;s Sleeping Giant - The Enormous bOrganizing/b Opportunity/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fCalifornia Progress Report,nbsp;CAnbsp;-/font nobr1 hour ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1And that, of course, only includes the volunteers inside the state; hundreds if not thousands went out into the swing states to canvass and borganize/b there. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article%3FAID%3D/20081122/LIFESTYLE01/811220307cid=0ei=2T0oScCvE6KO6APrqsyIBwusg=AFQjCNESCr0ilQO52HRe589W2ip6Eog6ggKeep it simple when borganizing/b school papers/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fDetNews.com,nbsp;MInbsp;-/font nobr10 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1It was bound to happen. My daughter#39;s kindergarten papers have invaded our home. So, I turned to Debi Weinstein for some guidance. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
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table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.pr.com/press-release/117822cid=0ei=2T0oScCvE6KO6APrqsyIBwusg=AFQjCNFIdGUaEXwJVP1z0UgdpEZpcaTj_wLaunch of New bOrganizing/b Podcast, Tips Toolbox/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fPR.com (press release),nbsp;NYnbsp;-/font nobr41 minutes ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1They both are known for their office and computer borganizing/b specialties and help workers gain control and manage their time, email, communications, b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.dailypress.com/news/local/newport_news/dp-town_ndifference_1121nov21,0,2563184.storycid=1272841463ei=2T0oScCvE6KO6APrqsyIBwusg=AFQjCNEw0wYRNNzNjzHXaqJW0mnNJmNe5AMore than borganizing/b fairs/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fDaily Press,nbsp;VAnbsp;-/font nobrNov 21, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Wright#39;s work is more than borganizing/b school fairs or fundraisers. Her biggest mission is getting a crucial element involved in the students#39; education b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.yaledailynews.com/articles/view/26655cid=1272842669ei=2T0oScCvE6KO6APrqsyIBwusg=AFQjCNERZG7mgc3QIlwwi9mxri2eIyHT6gUndergraduate bOrganizing/b Committee: Explaining our sit-in/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fYale Daily News,nbsp;CTnbsp;-/font nobrNov 21, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1The Undergraduate bOrganizing/b Committee is grateful for the News’ coverage of our activities, but in the face of the accusations made by Kate Maltby and the b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.yaledailynews.com/articles/view/26653cid=1272842669ei=2T0oScCvE6KO6APrqsyIBwusg=AFQjCNElifZJCzfbRitDUbmpD0LMzw2b0wMacey: Yale invests responsibly/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrYale Daily News/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1272842669hl=ennobrall 2 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.thedowneypatriot.net/view_full.php%3Farticle%3D0000048962cid=1272677570ei=2T0oScCvE6KO6APrqsyIBwusg=AFQjCNEpfdXNVMojC5nyrH-jjNZ7cZwlVQNew community band is borganizing/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fDowney Patriot,nbsp;CAnbsp;-/font nobrNov 20, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1DOWNEY— Warren High School band director Dave Niemeyer, with the help of school alumni, is borganizing/b a new community band featuring brass, woodwind and b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory%3Fid%3D6292909cid=1271946116ei=2T0oScCvE6KO6APrqsyIBwusg=AFQjCNENcvBYVUVaKn-7fWfPzWMrIo-qlgimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=mthtSu_iZicJimgurl=a.abcnews.com/images/US/prop8_081119_mn.jpg width=80 height=60 alt= border=1brfont size=-2ABC News/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.latimes.com/news/local/politics/cal/la-me-prop8-campaign22-2008nov22,0,6496229.storycid=1271946116ei=2T0oScCvE6KO6APrqsyIBwusg=AFQjCNEn0jqFHHVZ1dAh6ZxNlw6d3D7xYwBoth sides in California#39;s Prop. 8 battle look ahead to 2010/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fLos Angeles Times,nbsp;CAnbsp;-/font nobr8 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Regardless, backers and foes are borganizing/b supporters, waging a fierce public relations campaign and considering their next moves. b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://blog.aflcio.org/2008/11/19/nurses-rally-to-support-marriage-equality-in-californiacid=1271946116ei=2T0oScCvE6KO6APrqsyIBwusg=AFQjCNHF0bE3JRbhVwj4aihSqsB_5YGyuwNurses Rally to Support Marriage Equality in California/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrAFL-CIO/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_11016796%3Fsource%3Dmost_viewedcid=1271946116ei=2T0oScCvE6KO6APrqsyIBwusg=AFQjCNE2arVr_cXTb7Dgm9rUXg0I8YW-5QProp. 8 battle enters new stage/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrSan Jose Mercury News/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://ontopmag.com/article.aspx%3Fid%3D2757%26MediaType%3D1%26Category%3D26cid=1271946116ei=2T0oScCvE6KO6APrqsyIBwusg=AFQjCNFmGYlI2FaZYYXKQSzQhufvPhvONQCalif. Court To Review Gay Marriage Ban, But No Stay/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrOn Top Magazine/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/2008/11/19/22160/cid=1271946116ei=2T0oScCvE6KO6APrqsyIBwusg=AFQjCNFw7FCV2IBW3CBhUpKgtWQdrKce5wnobrPrinceton University The Daily Princetonian/nobr/anbsp;- a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.beyondchron.org/news/index.php%3Fitemid%3D6316cid=1271946116ei=2T0oScCvE6KO6APrqsyIBwusg=AFQjCNHVaJsTEdgFR_twKsn056-x-TdGMAnobrBeyond Chron/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1271946116hl=ennobrall 1,461 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/opinion/story/679179.htmlcid=0ei=2T0oScCvE6KO6APrqsyIBwusg=AFQjCNEg7VaVZEHrOg1Nzm1hVmOh1hhAbQColumnist mistaken about union borganizing/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMyrtle Beach Sun News,nbsp;SCnbsp;-/font nobrNov 20, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Companies intimidate, harass, coerce and even fire people who try to borganize/b unions. Workers are fired in a quarter of private-sector union borganizing/b b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://socialistworker.org/2008/11/21/battle-over-right-to-organizecid=1272950697ei=2T0oScCvE6KO6APrqsyIBwusg=AFQjCNHCFYcSn-oWqyWCtL_rpmBmMmWUcgA new battle over the right to borganize/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fSocialist Worker Online,nbsp;ILnbsp;-/font nobrNov 20, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1EFCA would also penalize employers that refuse to negotiate a first contract with the union or otherwise violate workers#39; right to borganize/b. b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2008/11/new_aggressive_ad_for_anticard.htmlcid=1272950697ei=2T0oScCvE6KO6APrqsyIBwusg=AFQjCNEbAau2-fdeo0KGFU3qw2RZCFoF7wNew, aggressive ad for anti-card check coalition/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrAmerican Thinker/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://laborpains.org/%3Fp%3D1122cid=1272950697ei=2T0oScCvE6KO6APrqsyIBwusg=AFQjCNFcMRe_StQxp_7Q39i48DL0VW49NAEFAC Launches Anti-EFCA Campaign With National TV Ad/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrCenter for Union Facts/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1272950697hl=ennobrall 4 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
organizing - Google News


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