Wellness Tool-Organizing or Reorganizing
 By Mary Ellen Copeland

There are many things I do that I have not thought of as wellness tools. As I continue to do this work, I have developed a greater awareness of what some of these more obscure tools are. Recently I noticed I was feeling very uncomfortable in my workspace, a feeling that was triggered by disorganization. Basically, my workspace was a mess. I had piles of things here and there, I couldn't find anything, it was hard to get anything done and I felt like my work was out of control. I didn't enjoy being in the space at all. It was causing early warning signs like not wanting to work, lack of motivation and low self esteem.

The wellness tool I needed to use was to reorganize-in this case my workspace. I bought some inexpensive plastic bins that I set on shelves to sort papers, booklets, articles and other information that I want or need to use soon. I labeled the bins so I could tell what to put in each one. I spent an afternoon, sorting through all the piles and making places for things so that I could easily find them when I needed them. For instance, I made a bin for things that need to be taken care of right away. I made another bin for things that are long term projects. I made bins for information on certain topics. I also sorted through my files and discarded those that were outdated to make more room for current issues. I rearranged my office materials and supplies for easy access. I moved some furniture to make the space more user friendly and easier to keep neat. When I had finished this work, I made a commitment to myself that each day, before I leave my workspace, I will sort things into bins so nothing is piling up on my desk-and I put that in my WRAP for work on my Daily Maintenance Plan. So far it has been working like a charm.

Using this tool has helped me to think about other spaces in my home that might benefit from some organization-closets, drawers, book shelves. Every few days I use this tool and organize a small area. And when I do I notice I feel better. Each time I return to that space to be there or to use something it lifts my mood.

Another thing that has come to mind through this reorganization process, is that doing some minor redecorating might help. I have noticed that thrift stores often have curtains, drapes, other linens and even pieces of beautiful fabric available at a very low cost. So I will be keeping my eyes open for inexpensive redecorating things I can do to help myself feel better.