Is planning and organization the key to mental wellness?

So, how do you guys handle planning and staying organized? 😁

Open floor for discussion

_______________________________________

I am a total mess when it comes to organization.
Or, if we’re being poetic about it, I’m consistently inconsistent. 🤣

Organization? Forget it. I only organize things when I absolutely have to.
The same goes for planning.

I basically live my life by reacting to whatever hits me. I just deal with things as they pop up.
I tackle whatever crosses my mind in the moment. I don't do that "here is my list of tasks for today" thing. It's always a series of compromises.
Like, I’ll wash the dishes only when I'm forced to. If I had my way, the sink would stay full forever.
Ironing is another one. Even though I actually enjoy ironing—unlike washing dishes—I never find the time because my whole day is such a chaotic blur.
Those are just some small examples.

And even when I *do* try to plan something out, there’s zero chance it goes according to script. There’s always some unexpected curveball, and suddenly I’m dealing with versions A, B, C, and D... while my original plan just evaporates.

The more important the life detail, the harder it is for me to stay on top of it.

Everything just piles up. I’ve got these unfinished tasks hanging over my head for years, which obviously creates this massive pressure that gets harder and harder to manage.

Apparently, that's supposed to be at the root of all my psychological struggles.

Isn't being spontaneous way better than sticking to a rigid plan? Just soaking up every single moment right now?

Carl Rivera43 said:Isn't being spontaneous way better than sticking to a rigid plan? Just soaking up every single moment right now?

Sure, if you're flying solo and nobody's counting on you.
If your future doesn't depend on what you do next.
If you're actually okay with just letting life happen to you.

But then you wouldn't have any right to complain when things go south.

mistydrifter55 said:So, how do you guys handle planning and staying organized? 😁

Open floor for discussion

_______________________________________

I am a total mess when it comes to organization.
Or, if we’re being poetic about it, I’m consistently inconsistent. 🤣

Organization? Forget it. I only organize things when I absolutely have to.
The same goes for planning.

I basically live my life by reacting to whatever hits me. I just deal with things as they pop up.
I tackle whatever crosses my mind in the moment. I don't do that "here is my list of tasks for today" thing. It's always a series of compromises.
Like, I’ll wash the dishes only when I'm forced to. If I had my way, the sink would stay full forever.
Ironing is another one. Even though I actually enjoy ironing—unlike washing dishes—I never find the time because my whole day is such a chaotic blur.
Those are just some small examples.

And even when I *do* try to plan something out, there’s zero chance it goes according to script. There’s always some unexpected curveball, and suddenly I’m dealing with versions A, B, C, and D... while my original plan just evaporates.

The more important the life detail, the harder it is for me to stay on top of it.

Everything just piles up. I’ve got these unfinished tasks hanging over my head for years, which obviously creates this massive pressure that gets harder and harder to manage.

Apparently, that's supposed to be at the root of all my psychological struggles.

The silver lining in this whole mess is that at least you know exactly what you need to work on.👍

When it comes to organization, I feel like I could probably loosen the reins once in a while, but I have this overwhelming sensation that if I don't execute things precisely—down to the exact hour or minute—something catastrophic will happen. I'm not talking about some external force acting upon me; I mean an internal collapse, as if my entire system is going to fail and trigger a massive domino effect.
Because of all this, my therapist has been questioning me quite intensely and looking for signs of OCD, though she hasn't officially diagnosed it yet.
I desperately need to find some balance in my life because I constantly swing between extremes—it's either 100% perfection or total failure. And let's be honest, living like that is never a healthy or sustainable way to exist. I deal with terrible internal turmoil and I feel physically ill if everything around me isn't perfectly in order or if I haven't checked off every single thing on my list. This rigidity is exhausting; I carry it like a heavy weight. I truly believe that through psychotherapy, I'll be able to make progress on this part of my personality.

Given how much work I have ahead of me in therapy, I doubt I'll ever truly be finished with this before I hit retirement.🤦😁

Andrew Doyle said:The silver lining in this whole mess is that at least you know exactly what you need to work on.👍

When it comes to organization, I feel like I could probably loosen the reins once in a while, but I have this overwhelming sensation that if I don't execute things precisely—down to the exact hour or minute—something catastrophic will happen. I'm not talking about some external force acting upon me; I mean an internal collapse, as if my entire system is going to fail and trigger a massive domino effect.
Because of all this, my therapist has been questioning me quite intensely and looking for signs of OCD, though she hasn't officially diagnosed it yet.
I desperately need to find some balance in my life because I constantly swing between extremes—it's either 100% perfection or total failure. And let's be honest, living like that is never a healthy or sustainable way to exist. I deal with terrible internal turmoil and I feel physically ill if everything around me isn't perfectly in order or if I haven't checked off every single thing on my list. This rigidity is exhausting; I carry it like a heavy weight. I truly believe that through psychotherapy, I'll be able to make progress on this part of my personality.

Given how much work I have ahead of me in therapy, I doubt I'll ever truly be finished with this before I hit retirement.🤦😁

That just sounds like a reality that's "badly" organized or planned.
Basically, you're piling on too many tasks that you can't actually finish (even though you want to), and then you crash because you didn't meet your own expectations.

Those are two extremes.

I lean toward one side, while you're closer to the other—let's say 🤣

So, how do you actually handle your priorities?

When it comes to setting priorities, that’s obviously key to staying organized.
Instead of actually vacuuming right now, I’m sitting here typing this out instead. 😬

It's definitely a case of bad prioritization. If I spend all my time vacuuming, I'll be stuck doing it all afternoon, and then I won't have any time left for the other stuff I actually need to get done. 🤦

Quincy:

Planning & organization—the bedrock of a healthy psyche

Is this actually a question or just a statement? Because I don't think one necessarily leads to the other.
Take me, for example. I’m a total pro at planning and staying organized (I actually get paid for it 🤣), yet here I am, struggling with anxious depression...
It sounds more like you're worried about how your lack of organizational skills impacts the people around you,
rather than how it hits your own mental health directly... 😁

mistydrifter55 said:When it comes to setting priorities, that’s obviously key to staying organized.
Instead of actually vacuuming right now, I’m sitting here typing this out instead. 😬

It's definitely a case of bad prioritization. If I spend all my time vacuuming, I'll be stuck doing it all afternoon, and then I won't have any time left for the other stuff I actually need to get done. 🤦

🤣
Just go grab one of those Roomba robots and call it a day 🙂🤣

I’m great at planning, but the actual execution? Not so much.😁
For some reason, getting things done just doesn't click for me. I usually end up waiting until the absolute last second when I have no choice, and then I somehow pull it off in record time.

It feels like this massive weight is constantly sitting on my shoulders because I know I haven't finished what I set out to do.
But honestly, until the deadline is staring me in the face, I just can't get moving. I've tried everything to fix it, but I still can't seem to find a solution.

Jonathan Hayes said:Quincy:

Planning & organization—the bedrock of a healthy psyche

Is this actually a question or just a statement? Because I don't think one necessarily leads to the other.
Take me, for example. I’m a total pro at planning and staying organized (I actually get paid for it 🤣), yet here I am, struggling with anxious depression...
It sounds more like you're worried about how your lack of organizational skills impacts the people around you,
rather than how it hits your own mental health directly... 😁

Maybe we can ask the mods to just add a question mark to the end of titles. 😁

Jeffrey Ramos4 said:🤣
Just go grab one of those Roomba robots and call it a day 🙂🤣

🤣 I'd love to, but those robots aren't going to pick up toys off the floor or tidy up a mess. 😁

Jonathan Hayes said:Quincy:

Planning & organization—the bedrock of a healthy psyche

Is this actually a question or just a statement? Because I don't think one necessarily leads to the other.
Take me, for example. I’m a total pro at planning and staying organized (I actually get paid for it 🤣), yet here I am, struggling with anxious depression...
It sounds more like you're worried about how your lack of organizational skills impacts the people around you,
rather than how it hits your own mental health directly... 😁

🙂 So, Baby, you gonna be my therapist?

- You're hitting the nail on the head
- Teach me some "organization"

🙂

mistydrifter55 said:Maybe we can ask the mods to just add a question mark to the end of titles. 😁

🤣 I'd love to, but those robots aren't going to pick up toys off the floor or tidy up a mess. 😁

Maybe the real solution is just automating the kids... giving them the exact same programming as the robot. 😁 🤣

Jeffrey Ramos4 said:Maybe the real solution is just automating the kids... giving them the exact same programming as the robot. 😁 🤣

I try, but then I end up just yelling at my kids all day. ☕

The 4-year-old leaves toy cars in every single crevice of the apartment.
The older one? She’s basically a walking tornado.
Oh, and we have a Cat. The one I specifically wanted because I grew up around them and didn't mind the cleanup.
But this one is FLUFFY. And naturally, it's a WHITE FLUFFY Cat, so the sheer volume of white fluff shedding onto the carpet is actually impressive.
🤦🤣☕

P.S. I actually bent the vacuum hose by pressing too hard trying to suck up the hair. THE HOSE—METAL.
(Can't afford that fancy one with the rotating brush right now 🙂 )

mistydrifter55 said:I try, but then I end up just yelling at my kids all day. ☕

The 4-year-old leaves toy cars in every single crevice of the apartment.
The older one? She’s basically a walking tornado.
Oh, and we have a Cat. The one I specifically wanted because I grew up around them and didn't mind the cleanup.
But this one is FLUFFY. And naturally, it's a WHITE FLUFFY Cat, so the sheer volume of white fluff shedding onto the carpet is actually impressive.
🤦🤣☕

P.S. I actually bent the vacuum hose by pressing too hard trying to suck up the hair. THE HOSE—METAL.
(Can't afford that fancy one with the rotating brush right now 🙂 )

Honestly, I think you’re meant to be a mommy blogger. You should start one! You might even make some money. It'd be interesting to see how many people are out there. I've noticed most people in these groups are women, though we all deal with the same chaos. Plus, you have a real knack for storytelling. You could write something like, "How an American woman manages her time in the modern age."

mistydrifter55 said:I try, but then I end up just yelling at my kids all day. ☕

The 4-year-old leaves toy cars in every single crevice of the apartment.
The older one? She’s basically a walking tornado.
Oh, and we have a Cat. The one I specifically wanted because I grew up around them and didn't mind the cleanup.
But this one is FLUFFY. And naturally, it's a WHITE FLUFFY Cat, so the sheer volume of white fluff shedding onto the carpet is actually impressive.
🤦🤣☕

P.S. I actually bent the vacuum hose by pressing too hard trying to suck up the hair. THE HOSE—METAL.
(Can't afford that fancy one with the rotating brush right now 🙂 )

😍

mistydrifter55 said:I try, but then I end up just yelling at my kids all day. ☕

The 4-year-old leaves toy cars in every single crevice of the apartment.
The older one? She’s basically a walking tornado.
Oh, and we have a Cat. The one I specifically wanted because I grew up around them and didn't mind the cleanup.
But this one is FLUFFY. And naturally, it's a WHITE FLUFFY Cat, so the sheer volume of white fluff shedding onto the carpet is actually impressive.
🤦🤣☕

P.S. I actually bent the vacuum hose by pressing too hard trying to suck up the hair. THE HOSE—METAL.
(Can't afford that fancy one with the rotating brush right now 🙂 )

a cat 😍 How are the kids getting along with him? Is he a house Cat...
That law is nothing but hot air... 😁

mistydrifter55 said:I try, but then I end up just yelling at my kids all day. ☕

The 4-year-old leaves toy cars in every single crevice of the apartment.
The older one? She’s basically a walking tornado.
Oh, and we have a Cat. The one I specifically wanted because I grew up around them and didn't mind the cleanup.
But this one is FLUFFY. And naturally, it's a WHITE FLUFFY Cat, so the sheer volume of white fluff shedding onto the carpet is actually impressive.
🤦🤣☕

P.S. I actually bent the vacuum hose by pressing too hard trying to suck up the hair. THE HOSE—METAL.
(Can't afford that fancy one with the rotating brush right now 🙂 )

My vacuum cleaner is probably pushing twenty years old now... 🎉It’s so loud I’m actually having to dig out my earplugs. At least the color is green... it's somewhat soothing... 🤣
You can find stuff like that in those little corner shops... if you know where to look. $5.00You know, that little lint roller gadget that picks up all the hair... It’s nothing life-changing, really. But it gets the job done... 🤣

Jeffrey Ramos4 said:😍

a cat 😍 How are the kids getting along with him? Is he a house Cat...
That law is nothing but hot air... 😁

My vacuum cleaner is probably pushing twenty years old now... 🎉It’s so loud I’m actually having to dig out my earplugs. At least the color is green... it's somewhat soothing... 🤣
You can find stuff like that in those little corner shops... if you know where to look. $5.00You know, that little lint roller gadget that picks up all the hair... It’s nothing life-changing, really. But it gets the job done... 🤣

He's an indoor cat—kind of a loner.
They don't really bond much. He isn't exactly a cuddler; he was a rescue, so he's pretty skittish. Who knows what he went through growing up? Anyway, he keeps his distance from the kids. And honestly, the kids keep their distance from him too—better than getting scratched, right? 🤣

As for that hair roller thing, 🤣 I go through them constantly just trying to clean my pants. And don't even get me started on the carpet. 🤦

Jose Ward4 said:Honestly, I think you’re meant to be a mommy blogger. You should start one! You might even make some money. It'd be interesting to see how many people are out there. I've noticed most people in these groups are women, though we all deal with the same chaos. Plus, you have a real knack for storytelling. You could write something like, "How an American woman manages her time in the modern age."

Ugh, yeah.
I didn't intend for this to turn into a debate about cooking or cleaning or any of those other things. 🙂 🤣

I only brought up household chores as a minor issue that we all basically share—I mean, everyone has their own mess to clean up (hopefully, unless someone else is doing it for you).

What I actually want to talk about is life organization in a broader sense. 🥳

mistydrifter55 said:🙂 So, Baby, you gonna be my therapist?

- You're hitting the nail on the head
- Teach me some "organization"

🙂

Speaking of chores, there are really only two golden rules for keeping a house from falling apart:

1. If you make a mess, clean it up
2. If you take something out, put it back

Then you just drill those rules into everyone else living under your roof until it becomes second nature. No one gets to relax or hit the couch until the rules are met... 😁

mistydrifter55 said:So, how do you guys handle planning and staying organized? 😁

Open floor for discussion

_______________________________________

I am a total mess when it comes to organization.
Or, if we’re being poetic about it, I’m consistently inconsistent. 🤣

Organization? Forget it. I only organize things when I absolutely have to.
The same goes for planning.

I basically live my life by reacting to whatever hits me. I just deal with things as they pop up.
I tackle whatever crosses my mind in the moment. I don't do that "here is my list of tasks for today" thing. It's always a series of compromises.
Like, I’ll wash the dishes only when I'm forced to. If I had my way, the sink would stay full forever.
Ironing is another one. Even though I actually enjoy ironing—unlike washing dishes—I never find the time because my whole day is such a chaotic blur.
Those are just some small examples.

And even when I *do* try to plan something out, there’s zero chance it goes according to script. There’s always some unexpected curveball, and suddenly I’m dealing with versions A, B, C, and D... while my original plan just evaporates.

The more important the life detail, the harder it is for me to stay on top of it.

Everything just piles up. I’ve got these unfinished tasks hanging over my head for years, which obviously creates this massive pressure that gets harder and harder to manage.

Apparently, that's supposed to be at the root of all my psychological struggles.

Maybe stop trying to plan the whole damn process and just focus on individual steps. Like you said, you can rarely predict exactly where things are headed. Try planning in short bursts—just what comes first, then what comes second. Once those first couple of steps are done, then you figure out step three or four. Plan in small increments rather than trying to map the entire thing from start to finish right away...

I didn't quite catch what you meant by being inconsistent...

mistydrifter55 said:He's an indoor cat—kind of a loner.
They don't really bond much. He isn't exactly a cuddler; he was a rescue, so he's pretty skittish. Who knows what he went through growing up? Anyway, he keeps his distance from the kids. And honestly, the kids keep their distance from him too—better than getting scratched, right? 🤣

As for that hair roller thing, 🤣 I go through them constantly just trying to clean my pants. And don't even get me started on the carpet. 🤦

Krpetina 🤣 Well, at least with the fur, you can clean up after him wherever he walks 🤣 And you mentioned he's white? Everything shows on a white cat 🤣

Don't even mention the carpet. It's a disaster zone. Once I start cleaning it, I'm stuck there for at least an hour, getting into every single nook and cranny 🤣 That's why I avoid it. I know once I start, there's no stopping... 🤣

mistydrifter55 said:He's an indoor cat—kind of a loner.
They don't really bond much. He isn't exactly a cuddler; he was a rescue, so he's pretty skittish. Who knows what he went through growing up? Anyway, he keeps his distance from the kids. And honestly, the kids keep their distance from him too—better than getting scratched, right? 🤣

As for that hair roller thing, 🤣 I go through them constantly just trying to clean my pants. And don't even get me started on the carpet. 🤦

I’ve always maintained that cats are incredibly intelligent creatures,👍

Regarding the whole debate over priorities, I handle it without much fuss. Family, career... everything has its designated place in the hierarchy. It feels reductive to pull specific life scenarios out of thin air right now, but I have absolutely no issue identifying what needs my immediate attention; I don't let myself get distracted. I tackle everything head-on—both my personal responsibilities and my professional obligations—because frankly, I can't stand falling behind or dealing with unnecessary delays.