How Organizing Will Make You Stop Sweating the Small Stuff!
Wish you could stop sweating the small stuff crowding your mind?
You know, those annoying little details; the myriad minutiae tasks.
I grew up with a very creative and pragmatic father who often reminded me, the youngest of five, “Don’t sweat the small stuff Baby Doll” Or “Doll Baby”. His sincere endearments were interchangeable.
If you’re anything like the old disorganized me, you’d sometimes forget the pater’s wisdom and sweat every grain of sand in the Sahara Desert.
People ask me how to stop sweating the small stuff of their To Do’s.
That’s why I created “The Piddly Day.”
What the (fill in the blank your way 😉 ) is a Piddly Day?
I’m so glad you asked, your way; polite expletive (Gordon Bennett/Sam Hill), mildly impolite expletive (Bloody/Hell), lazy expletive (4 Letter Word – your pick).
At least monthly, I put on my calendar a “Piddly Day.”
It’s a day for finally handling all those seemingly trivial, niggling tasks that in and of themselves are not crucial.
The thing is you do wish them done!
Especially because you no longer want them taking up nagging rights and crowding your mind. You could just decide not to do them, but for various reasons, you do want them done.
Avoiding handling the annoying details can mount up to quite an overwhelming mountain.
Here’s what I mean…
For over four weeks now, each time I zip up my every day winter jacket, which I like for knocking about, it frustrates me! I like the deep burgundy color and dramatic feminine style with a touch of practical {machine washable}. However, lately I’ve had to fuss with the zipper because one side has loosened out of its seam.
Like you I want to stop sweating the small stuff!
My mind catalogues, or ‘backs up’ this redundant thought, “I really ought to sew this zipper when I have some time….” Trouble is, the old backup is not automatically overridden by the new thought. How many times a day, a week, do I have this repetitive “fix-it thought” taking up precious brain space?
So what do I do? Well, this is a piddly coat repair. After all, I can zip it, I can use the coat…granted the stitches that have come undone will worsen over time if ignored…but hey, it’s in my mental “Zip File.”
So….I don’t do anything, and forget about it until the next zip.
And the next zip,..and the zip after that…
Which, by the way, might make a person (who, moi?) forget to stop sweating the small stuff.
My son Skye’s school graduation photo is lying face up on my bedroom bureau, next to his older brother framed version. It’s a constant reminder that I’ve been meaning to go shop for a frame. For 5 months…
It too is in some mental “Zip File”. It’s also noted on my Master To Do List…yep, I’m human too, and if I don’t schedule a day to handle these little things…the piddly adds up.
Here’s a strategy so you can stop sweating the small stuff:
Schedule a Piddly Day: a Detail Day to handle all those, ‘been meaning to’ tasks.
Here’s the little details I was able to dust off today:
- Sewed every day winter coat zipper
- Sewed undone piping on reusable bag
- Bought and framed Skye’s graduation photo
- Replaced missing shirt button
- Returned a book to the lender
- Returned two sonic rodent repellers {because they didn’t work…we have already kindly caught 6 mice and driven them miles away for release in a field.}
- Read one article of interest, but not pressing
Stop sweating the small stuff; the details stuck in my mind.
Accept that you don’t have to manage those annoying little details all the time!
Map out your Piddly Day the night before. Gather all return receipts and put return items in a reusable bag ready in the car.
Now I want to hear from all of you!
What do you think of a Piddly Day? A day scheduled to manage all those annoying details. Share your list of “piddlies” you’ve been meaning to do. If this post inspires you, update me with how you finally put those annoying details to bed.
Love ya!
Hello, I’m Jul’s Arthur, author of the book 25 Days of Holiday Organizing! I help women professionals & entrepreneurs STOP endlessly spinning their wheels stuck in anxiety and overwhelm with the chaos and clutter in their home, instead START simplifying, so everything has a place, they gain FREEDOM, CLARITY and easily manifest their DREAM LIFE. Let me help you go from chaos to FREEDOM.
what a fabulous idea, jul’s! i definitely have a list of those piddly jobs that should probably get done, but aren’t life-altering. i need to schedule a “piddly day” very soon. (uh oh – hopefully THAT itself won’t get stuck forever on my piddly job list!)
You can do it, April! I know your enthusiasm and open spirit will flow through once you schedule a “piddly day.” I appreciate your humor, so easy to file things mentally instead of putting on the calendar. I focus on the feeling of relief, centeredness and accomplishment when those piddly things are wiped off my list. If you find time, update me in a followup comment how this idea worked for you in practice.
OMG, love the name “Piddly Day” but love even more the idea of scheduling all the crazy little things that add up fast and furious. It is amazing to do it and scratching stuff off the list and seeing all that has been accomplished (small as they might be) at the end of the day. It gives you so much energy and motivation to do the bigger, more important tasks. Thanks for this!
I LOVE how you had us complete the sentence using our own expletive. Mine was a four letter one :). Anyway, this is a great idea and one I’ve used before. I don’t call it a Piddly Day and I don’t schedule them regularly, but I do this out of necessity whenever those piddly things pile up.
Glad you had as much fun filling in the answer…your way :). You don’t have to call it a Piddly Day…whatever works for you. I understand, necessity can be a great source of action. Thanks for you comment!
So glad you love my “Piddly Day!” Yes, it does feel so cathartic to clear off those silly little annoying, piddly things, that just add up. I shall have to post a Piddly Day on Facebook for my peeps and readers to join in! You are most welcome, I really love to help busy people feel more focused and energized for the big things that matter to them.
Great concept Jul’s! It so simple, yet helps us clear space for more important tasks at hand and allows us to be present the moment. I find clutter-clearing in general allows the space needed for new and wonderful things to enter into our lives.
Yes! clutter clearing actually invites and creates room for what we want to come into our lives! Sometimes simple is best and being in the moment.
Clutter… I started with washing the dishes. No excuse. Every time I use a dish, I wash it right away. Then, I’ll move to another task that shouldn’t let me clutter my space 🙂
You bring up an excellent point Llyane…by creating habits and starting with something as simple and small as washing your dishes rather than leaving them out…or putting them in the dishwasher…really keeps mess away. Thanks for your comment!
I absolutely love Piddly Day. I’m going to implement it immediately. I might need two days for it this month!
Thanks so much Karen. I am glad you love “Piddly Day.” Mayhap I should tout it as a national holiday from clutter. A day off for everyone to handle those pesky, nagging details.
yep- definitely an energy drainer.. Sadly I had to face facts there is no fairy godmother, at least I haven’t emploed one yet.. and I don’t have a brood of kids who will do the things I ask them to do (maybe thats a fairy story I made up too), so the best thing is – get the piddling little things done, one way or another!
Lol—well I have been told by clients I am their Fairy God Mother because I help them finally get to ridding the clutter and getting things done…as well as finding time for what they really want to do! As to the brood of kids…well, a)Depends on the kid… and age (I have a teen who secretly read every book on how not to offer help or how not to get around to helping in any timely manner, so you may be right, it may be a fairy story. Moral of the story, do a little bit consistently even if that means scheduling a block of time or day to deal with the piddly! Thanks so much for your comments!