Do you fell like you have to clean up before starting serious work?
@SydneyHazelton (4586)
Singapore
January 2, 2009 10:19am CST
The beginning of 2009 has jolted me into reality. My teacher husband has gone back to work and school holidays are over. I have one major deadline looming over my head. So what did I do today?
I cleaned up my desk. I put everything that I needed for the project into one pile fo reasy reference and all other things in another pile. Actually I did not stop there, I even cleaned up the entire house. I wiped the floors and cleaned the bathroom as well. After that, I felt very good. Now, I am ready to start on my major writing assignment. I have procrastinated long enough.
I remembered that I used to do this as well when I was in school. When exams were near and I knew that I had to revise my schoolwork, I started cleaning up everything in my room, organised my notes and books. Once I felt good and ready with all my stuff, I sat down and created a timetable to ensure that I could cover all the things I needed before the exams.
Same situation here I guess. I just need to clean up before working. Do you feel that you have to clean up your desk before you start work seriously? Or am I the only one feeling this way?
3 people like this
14 responses
@SydneyHazelton (4586)
• Singapore
2 Jan 09
I know, I know. I'm merely procrastinating again. But it would be more productive for me to get organised first rather than search for things later on and waste a lot of time when I have started with my writing. So I think that it was a good move. Thank you for your response!
@positiveminded1977 (7072)
• India
7 Jan 09
My desk is usually always well organized; I can't think when I see clutter around. I prefer to have a clean house around me before I begin working. I spend around one or two hours cleaning the house before I sit to work. :)
Cheers and happy mylotting
@cutepenguin (6431)
• Canada
3 Jan 09
yes, i feel less stressed about the work I have to do and better able to focus if my work area is tidy.
@SydneyHazelton (4586)
• Singapore
4 Jan 09
You are right. I have made some good progress after i cleaned up and now trying to get into a good momentum for my writing. I think it only works for soem of us. Thank you for responding.
Good for you.
It's really good to clean your area first before doing anything. In my case, I could think well when my working table at home or my cubicle in the office is clean and no clutter.
Happy New Year!@SydneyHazelton (4586)
• Singapore
5 Jan 09
Me too! Once I clear my table and know where everything is for my research, I will be able to progress much faster. I have less than 10 days before my deadline. I have made general outline and ready to type on. LOL! Wish me luck!
@gr8life (6251)
• Malaysia
5 Jan 09
Hello SydneyHazelton,
Not all the times. Whenever I feel that everything around me is just too messy, I will start to clean up everything and for me,it is a must to clean up everything at the beginning of the year. I started to clean up the entire house few days before new year and I felt really good after doing it. Today's the first day of working and so I cleaned up my table and arranged everything - just to make sure everything is in order. I love it, I feel good and it really helps me to start a fresh new day.
@SydneyHazelton (4586)
• Singapore
8 Jan 09
It does feel great to clean up and get everything organised. It helps you work better when you have everything in proper places. I do that too. I hope I can finish my writing on time now. It's due next week. Yikes!
1 person likes this
@DonnaLawson (4032)
• United States
4 Jan 09
I can work in clutter, it doesn't matter one way or the other to me.. My husband is a different matter, he can't, he makes me crazy with the cleaning up of one thing or the other before he can do anything.. I tell him to go right ahead as it doesn't bother me.. So, he does and I don't, makes it very easy for me..
@SydneyHazelton (4586)
• Singapore
4 Jan 09
We are just the opposite. My husband can work in any mess. I'm sitting at his table right now and I don't even have enough space for my arm to rest because he has his magazines there. Opposites attract?
@nishdan01 (3051)
• Singapore
8 Jan 09
I do the cleaning all the time but nothing seems to be that organized with a two year old. So I sometimes forget everything and concentrate on the work I do. I am really an organized person but things don't seem to work out even if I work hard. So I do avoid a clean up before work.
@creativedreamweaver (7297)
• United States
2 Jan 09
I am much like you. Right now, my desk and most of my house is a total mess. I can't concentrate on the writing project(s) I should be doing, because of all the clutter. I have always found that I work better in a clean and organized environment, but it seems so hard for me to keep it that way. I know I have to do something with this mess today, because it is really going to hinder my working if I don't just do clean it up. Thanks for letting me know that I am not alone.
@SydneyHazelton (4586)
• Singapore
2 Jan 09
My house simply can't stay clean and organised. My two-year old is always making a mess somewhere. I wiped the floors in the morning, and by noon, it did not feel that clean anymore. My daughter has dropped some cheese on it and stepped all over the place. Sigh!
I think that if I could be more productive in the coming days and need to forgo one day to clean up, I would do it. You will definitely feel better and more motivated to get going with your writing projects. We are in the same boat!
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
2 Jan 09
I am the opposite, I prepare for working of course, but then I devote all the time I can to getting that deadline down and the housework piles up and I do that after it is all finshed.
@SydneyHazelton (4586)
• Singapore
3 Jan 09
You are fantastic! How I wish I could do that. But no one would be able to recognise my house by then. LOL! Anyway, I got to get going with my writing, thus this short post. I shouldn't be here in the first place.
@ronaldinu (12422)
• Malta
2 Jan 09
My desk is in a mess. I need to clear it up before I go to work. Otherwise I'll have more accumlated work when I return back from schoool. I have five remaining days to do so and I am really taking things easy.
@SydneyHazelton (4586)
• Singapore
2 Jan 09
Five more days... I'm sure you can do it in a couple of hours, if you really want to. Take it easy if that's the best way for you. Do you work or school?
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
2 Jan 09
I just go and get to what I am doing, and move the other stuff to one side. I feel this cleaning before one does serious work is a left over from when you were a child and if you were a girl, your mother made you feel guilty if you did not wash the dishes, etc. In fact, I got the idea that guys would not marry a girl unless she was a neat freak and she had to prove that she was an immaculate housekeeper (and a virgin next) before they thought of marriage. Forget about character, looks etc. it was the housekeeping they were concerned with.
I soon got over that and now I just work at what I am doing.
@SydneyHazelton (4586)
• Singapore
3 Jan 09
Gosh! I'm not those immaculate housekeeper that's for sure. If my hubby was looking for someone like that as a wife, he may not find one in the day and age. Anyway, now that I've got all the cleaning done, I finished brainstorming for ideas and will start writing all of it down today. I hope I get the momentum I need to complete the task before the deadline.
@sweetpeasmom (1325)
• United States
12 Feb 09
yes i have to clean up to get any work done. my house is so cluttered. we have a small house and it seems like we never have enough room. toys and so much more.
@Opal26 (17679)
• United States
3 Jan 09
Hey sydney! Nope! You are not the only one that did some major
cleaning up! My boyfriend and I spend the days leading up
to New Year's re-decorating and cleaning the apartment! I
had been procrastinating about it for quite awhile! He finally
decided that enough was enough and forced me to start so that
we could finish! And we have just about gotten everything done
except for a few things which I will do when he goes back to
work. He had been home for a few weeks because he works in
a college cafeteria and they were closed so he had no choice
but to be off. So now that things are pretty much in order I
feel alot better and the place looks really good!
@SydneyHazelton (4586)
• Singapore
3 Jan 09
That's wonderful that you have finally done up your place. Doesn't it feel good? Now you will have time for other things I'm sure.
@SydneyHazelton (4586)
• Singapore
4 Jan 09
Welcome to myLot! I see that you are new here. There is a few tips here for you if you intend to make some money here. Firstly, I think it is better if you write in proper English so that everyone can understand you. Try not to use short forms like you did here. Secondly, it would be better if you write a few sentences tan just 1 or 2 word response in order to earn more money. Anyway, all the best to you and thank you for responding to my discussion.
