Backsliding is not an 80’s dance step
Have you ever conquered an unwanted behavior only to experience a resurgence again?
We put a significant amount of effort into creating change, and I fully understand that it can be disheartening each time we lose traction. Backsliding may be a few ounces creeping up on the scale or another full blown wardrobe rebuild due to weight gain. For me, backsliding crashes my efforts toward emotional fortitude. Personal development work is an on-going process with daily successes and occasional pitfalls. Keeping an eye on the prize requires not going too deep into despair or elation rather staying focused on what to do next.
For some of my clients, backsliding crops up in rooms or on surfaces when clutter monsters take up residence once again. Areas likely to fall victim are predictable. Command centers, laundry rooms, desks, kitchen counters, guest rooms. When we are on the go, items are temporarily deposited with the best intentions to deal with them, but often they sit awaiting our attention. Before we know it, more objects have been added until the piles become anxiety-producing, and we’d rather walk away than having to face diving in.
After guests depart, our schedules get hectic and stuff piles up
Have you ever experienced backsliding? Let’s imagine clutter has been a nuisance for you. After some hard work purging and rearranging, you’ve gained a foothold. Your desk, your laptop screen, your office, your kitchen, whatever your Achilies Heel has been, are neat. You feel victorious using methods that keep pesky clutter monsters at bay. Then a weekend of guests, or an overcrowded planner, or a significant life event sets you back to old patterns. When that happens, how does that make you feel? Are you the type of person to shake off a set back or is there a crashing wave of deflation?
Let me put your mind at ease. Backsliding is natural. It happens. It will happen. Sometimes despite or in spite of our best efforts. Life has a way of sabotaging best layed plans and best practices. If we accept this as we walk into transformation, we allow ourselves a little slack every now and then. That gives us perspective and permission to be realistic, assess why things went sideways, and with the skills we used prior to the setback, we can get back on track without too much hassle, pain, and recriminations. If backsliding occurs, it means you experienced progress, you already know what success looks and feels like and how you got there before. With a bit of refocus you will regain your footing.
The next time you run a load of laundry, toss in the guests’ sheets and towels. Grab the dirty dishes, put them in the dishwasher and start that load, if full. As you walk from room to room, grab any items that need to be returned to their proper homes. Any leftover mess will disappear before you know it.
While your awaiting admittance to a Zoom meeting, empty your email trash bin or sort emails into relevant folders on your hard drive.
Your calendar is a sacred representation of your time. Treat it with care and respect.
Reassess the importance of any appointments before adding one more commitment to your schedule if you’re already feeling tapped out. Your calendar is a sacred representation of your time. Treat it with care and respect.
And know that you’ve got this. You did it before, you will do it again. Should you backslide (it’s not unrealistic), you’ll deal with it like a pro.
If you need an organizing refresher to buff up your skills or a boost out of the backslide, feel free to reach out to sherri@thepracticalsort.com. I’ll be your #1 cheerleader.
