Adjusting to Change in an Organized Way

They say, “change is good.” I would say it’s one of the most challenging aspects of life. Good changes are included in this. The funny thing is that it’s not the change that’s challenging; it’s how we adjust to the change. As an Organizer, I work with my clients as they experience change. To transition in an organized way, you need to understand the reasons change is challenging. Once you’ve done this, you can utilize strategies to work through change and this is what I’d call living an organized life. Creating order in your day is the foundation of an organized life.

Why is Change Challenging?

Here are some reasons I’ve seen in my own life as well as in the life of an organizing client:

• Causes you to step out of your comfort zone. Truth be told, it is easier to stay in an unpleasant situation than it is to break free from it. It is scary outside the comfort zone because of the unknowns.
• A feeling of loss of control, especially in certain types of change. Most of this is driven by emotion.
• Negative mindset takes us to the worst case scenario part of the brain. Basing all of our decisions from this place makes change seem more difficult than it really is. Black or white thinking is also part of this.
• Overwhelmed. Change has many steps to its process. Some of these are quick and easy while others are more involved and deal with larger chunks of time. Each step adds to the feeling of overwhelm as in thinking, “I’ll never get through this.”

Now that you can see where it all comes from, you can do something healthy about it. So, let’s look at some strategies to live organized while you are going through changes in life.

1. Stick to your routine as much as you can. If you have just moved into a new home, have your morning routine set up first. For me, I would have my bible and prayer journal out of boxes first so I can start my day with prayer. After that, I can tackle more unpacking! If I was starting a new job, I would adjust my schedule so I had time before leaving for work to get in my prayer time. I will be a better employee if I’ve had time with Jesus! Keep things in perspective. Override the negative thoughts by reminding yourself you’ve been through other life changes and did just fine. Most of the time, things are not as bad as we tell ourselves.
2. Take care of yourself. You know how you react to stress. What is it that calms you? Is it a walk, a bubble bath, or sitting in silence? Make sure to incorporate what you need into your day.
3. Practice gratitude. There is so much power in finding people, places, and things to be thankful for. Gratitude releases chemicals your brain needs to be a better adjusted brain. Practice in little situations throughout your day so you will be better able to apply this to bigger situations.

Change -- how will you embrace it? You have a choice. What will you choose?  The organized life is full of good and healthy habits. One good habit begets another.