So, the good news is that you accomplished what you set out to do. You got organized. Congratulations!

This post is the first in a series of blog posts about staying the course and maintaining your organizing systems. So check back for more if you need reinforcements for a job well done!

Overcoming Lack of Motivation

What if you lack motivation to now maintain your organizing systems? You are not in the mood, are tired, sick of the constant flow of possessions and paper in your home, office and life? What to do?

You need to focus on the end result, which is always an improvement over the current state. Take brushing your teeth, for example. You sometimes need to just do it even when you are not in the mood, are rushed for time, or are tired. If you stop brushing your teeth, plaque will build up, causing gingivitis and eventually, your teeth will rot and fall out. Similarly, if you fail to maintain your organizing systems, clutter will build up, the systems will fail, you will become discouraged, and you will backslide. Then in order to get organized again, you will have to do double the work!

So, even if you lack motivation to maintain your organizing systems, remind yourself that maintenance is always easier than starting from scratch. Hopefully, the positive benefits you get from being organized will be more than enough to motivate you to maintain the systems. But if that’s not always enough of a motivator, the fear of backsliding can also be a powerful deterrent.