Organization vs. Distraction

We have never been so productive, so busy, and at the same time so distracted. Throughout history there have always been issues that have prevented us from doing what we set out to do. But it's never been as hard as it is today.

Technology has its benefits and rewards, but it also has its drawbacks. The very fact that we have so many choices in terms of technology can also cause problems. Having instant access to family, friends, work, and the rest of the noise can be overwhelming. Email, smartphones, mobile devices, laptops, and other screens can get in the way of staying organized even though the technology was originally created to make you more productive and organized.

The technology can actually cause you to feel pressure to do even more. No matter how amazing you are, you start feeling inadequate that you cannot do more. The technology ends up becoming more of a curse. Recent studies (as early as January 2015) are even discussing how technology is reshaping the human brain. Scary!

Take heart, though; you can learn how to wrangle the technology and make it work for you. You can become more organized even if it doesn't come naturally. You can give yourself permission to do things differently.

You can learn to capture what you need to do, break it down into logical steps, prioritize those steps, figure out what's next, and then get to work doing what needs to be done - without feeling overworked, stressed out, and out of control. You just need to have a plan of action and an understanding of why you need to do things in a certain way. Then you'll finally really be organized.

The chapters are:

Organization in the Age of Distraction
1. Identify Your Disorganization
2. Set Goals
3. Get Everyone on the Same Page
4. Take Action
5. Is Your Planner Is Up to Date?
6. Keep It Simple