Top 5 Ways Organizers Motivate Their Clients

The first thing we do when we start a new project with a new client is have them give us a tour of their space, listen to the challenges they face, and evaluate the situation and its root causes. Once the assessment is done, we explain the plan to our client, including how long it will likely take to complete it and what the completed space might look like. Envisioning the final result is one of the best motivational tools for tackling a project of any size. We continue to hear from our clients how surprising it is that we can immediately see the potential of a space and create a plan out of the chaos. They always say that they could never have imagined what we managed to manifest. By having a goal and reminding our clients of the final vision for the space, it’s easier to stay motivated. Try taking some “before” pictures of your space so that once the changes come, you can refer back to the picture and see all of the progress you’ve made. Keeping the destination in mind makes marching on that much easier, no matter what obstacles cross your path.

People motivate themselves in different ways, but seeing results and being cheered on works for almost everyone. We won’t deny it; it even works on us. When we work our way through a pile of paper, flatten a box we’ve just unpacked, or simply clear a counter, we are filled with a sense of progress and give ourselves high fives! The same goes for our clients. When they finish a task or achieve a goal, we point it out to them and cheer them on. If the floor was covered in papers and we see that our client has cleared it, we say, “Look; there’s a floor!” No matter how small or big the achievement, it is worth a mini-celebration.

In this fast-paced world, we all start projects and don’t finish them because we get distracted. At times, doing any task other than the task at hand seems more pleasant. When we work with hands-on clients and we see them getting off track, we will ask them if they have completed the task that they already started. Most of the time, they say, “Oh yeah!” and get right back to it. By reminding them to finish one task before moving on to the next, they are able to complete steps rather than finding themselves left with several incomplete tasks (and therefore no successes). This is one of the best ways to keep yourself motivated. Try using a list to stay focused. Write down the individual tasks you need to complete, crossing them off as you complete them. Refer back to the list as often as you need to. The feeling of accomplishment and the relief of finishing something that has been haunting you for a while are the sweetest motivators of all.

One of the biggest obstacles our clients face is the feeling of being overwhelmed. We hear scenarios like, “I go into my office to deal with all paperwork, but there is just so much that I don’t know where to start or how to finish” or “I shove boxes in a room and close the door because there is too much to deal with.”. Being an organizer equips you with the ability to stay calm and know that every mountain, no matter how high, can be climbed and conquered. We eliminate the fear of where to start and how to get started by just starting. We always tell our clients to start small if big projects make them want to procrastinate. If even a small step leads you to procrastinate, then start small. Once the stress and fear are gone, it is easier to be motivated.

One thing that can totally burn out your motivation is working on a project non-stop. Some projects take days to complete, and going non-stop will drain your energy and discourage you from ever finishing them. When we organize, we make the experience more pleasant by playing music and reminding our clients to drink water and take snack breaks. Everyone’s stamina is a little different, but most of us can work for 1–3 hours before needing a recharge. It’s good and productive to stand back and take stock of what you’ve accomplished or completely leave the project for 15 minutes or so. You come back with fresh eyes and a better sense of the progress you’ve made. Sometimes the best ideas and solutions come to us during our 15-minute break.

No matter how you motivate yourself to finish a project, remember to be kind to yourself. The only person to whom you should compare yourself and your achievements is yourself. If you are moving ahead and making progress, that is all that matters. They always say Rome wasn’t built in a day, but it wasn’t burned in one either! Don’t judge yourself or beat yourself up. Reward yourself, take a walk outside, acknowledge your achievements, and blaze the trail to success, one step at a time.