I am an organized, for the most part, individual. My office is fairly neat and my desk is free of clutter. I keep my documents and e-mail in a concise and organized manor. I am not a neat freak, at all, just ask my wife. However, I am more productive when I am not looking for a clean space on my desk or spending time looking for lost information.

I do not understand how some people function in the chaos of their daily lives. It is crazy! Everything around them screams – I AM LOST AND CONFUSED! If you cannot find your desk because the crap piled on it, you have a problem. If guests can not find a place to sit in your car, you have a problem. If you can not locate your monthly bills or client deliverables, you have a problem!

It is time to eliminate and simplify your life.

I have a friend, not too close of a friend, who has a BIG problem and as much as I have tried to coach him on time and task planning, the impact only seems to last for a few days. His disorganization effects his job performance and his business/personal relationships. He knows “it is a problem” but I feel he does not want to put in the serious effort it will take to correct the years of learned “bad behaviours”. I have been working with him for the last few months, all on my personal time, because I like to see people succeed and now I am the one who is disheartened.

The month long task planning trial failed and became a two-week trial that became a failed one-week trial. Simple daily planning activities were blown off for more “pressing” matters. A good one or two days worth of progress were constantly being lost because of a relapse into the routine.

I hate to say it but I am done. Time to call for professional help. I passed on contacts for a shrink, a life coach/manager, a virtual personal assistant firm, and house/office clutter removal service. I hope he pulls it together and reaches out these these sources before the wall of crap he has built implodes on him. I will be here for him, as always, but I have taken it as far as I can or choose too.

His choices, His life, His results. (am I being too cold here?)

The amount of great information on task planning and life organization is immense. These concepts have improved my life dramatically and I just wish I had learned them sooner.