When a task becomes ovewhelming I break it into managable tasks. I have a desk also with stacks of miscellaneous. So I will pull out everything with a specific topic like bills, or receipts, and to do lists. Then I will make a file folder for them and put away. That is all for the day. No need to do it all at one time or know what to do with it all.

For washing the car, sometimes I just do one side of the car one day. Then maybe the next week I will do the other side. Or I just do the trunk and the hood one day. Tires another day. I don't have to wash the entire car at one time.

I just schedule maybe 15 minutes to do something and that is all. Little by little it gets done.

: My life would flow with greater ease
: if I could wrap my mind around the
: little decisions that need to be
: made every day.

: For example, I have a hard time
: making quick and on-the-go
: decisions about where to put what.
: A good example is my cluttered
: work desk at home. Rather than
: throw out a few papers, file some
: others and leave the rest as they
: are (i.e, doing some
: decluttering), I
: simply do nothing.
: The hardest part of decluttering for
: me, is finding the right home for
: each piece of paper.

: The pile grows, and though I know I
: can take care of some of it
: right now and
: get partial relief from the mess,
: I feel so overwhelmed that I take
: no action at all.

: I would feel a little more radiant if
: I could let go of my dream of the
: perfectly tidy desk - which never
: materializes - and start taking
: small steps a few times a week to
: throw out/put away those papers
: that do have a home (on my
: shelves, in my drawers, etc.)

: Generally speaking, I am very good
: about maintenance......my home is
: quite tidy.
: But the pile on my work desk is a
: different story......I feel I need
: to be able to decide about ALL of
: it before I can start taking
: action.

: Any comments?