#NerdsUnite: Confessions of a ginger (On herding cats)

<editorsnote> Nerds, meet my buddy Layne. I forget how we first started talking ... I think it was on twitter, and then we totes became besties on Facebook, and then we started reading each other's blogs and like commenting and like and like and like ... this chick is RAD annndd she's a ginger. No, seriously. Welcome to the world of Layne and the thoughts that are inside of her head. HIT IT GIRL! </editorsnote>

#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @redheadintexas

Sometimes I feel as if I am walking in circles, chasing my own tail,  caught in an eternal to-do list k-hole of never-ending busyness that brings everything in my life together into one giant clusterfuck of WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!? Ever hear the expression "herding cats"? Yeah, that should cover it.

I'm sure you've been there. We all have. And I'm sure you, like me, also experience this phenomenon around this time of year, because let's face it, the holidays combined with the typical end-of-year round up that plenty of people engage in means that everyone has a little extra on their plate, and I'm not just talking about third helpings at the office party buffet. As such, since everyone else is a little busier, it becomes harder to coordinate your crazy with other people's crazy.

I was up to my eyeballs in bubble wrap and packing tape for almost three solid weeks. I have a new client that I started out helping with a fund-raising event and then she realized she really needed some help executing a huge move. We spent almost two weeks just packing, then it took ten days just to get everything moved out of the house and into two apartments and one very large warehouse. The level of coordination required to keep the household, the movers, the art people (who specialize in moving and storing fine art and sculpture), the storage people, the carpenters, the electricians, the plumbers, the networking dudes, and EVERYTHING ELSE all one one page is mind-numbing.

All of that at any time of year would make anyone's head spin, but to do it mid-holiday season was sheer insanity. So when you add that all up and then thrown in my personal life, things got a wee bit hectic in my neck of the universe. To say the least.

As a person who makes money as a personal organizer, assistant, shopper, and all-around-get-shit-done gal, the irony of the situation is not lost on me. People pay me to ensure nothing falls through the cracks, and I am pretty good at what I do. The fact that my personal life gets put completely on hold means that all the things I am so good at doing for others are the very things that I have to scramble around, last minute, to do for myself.

Striking a balance here has always been difficult for me, so I thought I would share some of the things I've learned, so that maybe you might have some hope staying afloat when life seems to compress into one neck-bending roller-coaster ride of chaos.

1. Don't underestimate Murphy's Law. If you know all the things that can go wrong in any one situation, you will be better prepared to react. Keep one master list on a program like Evernote or in one notebook. Beneath each item on the list, write down alternative solutions to any problems that could come up with that item. REVIEW that list daily, and confirm your plan for each issue. Things change, shit happens, etc. Keeping your eye on "The List" is the best way to ensure you don't forget anything during those moments when things do actually go wrong.

2. If you know you have a huge project coming up that will kill any and all of your free time to do things like getting your oil changed, shop for a good friend's birthday gift, or renewing your license, DO THEM ASAP. It's much better to get your oil changed a few weeks earlier than to go a month or a thousand miles past your due date. I promise, it's worth it.

3. Don't overestimate your ability to stay organized. When you set reminders or alerts on your phone or computer's calendar, don't just put things like "call movers." Put the name of the contact, the phone number, email, etc and any questions you know you need to ask or issues to address in the reminder notes. That way it's all there for you in the moment, so you don't get sidetracked by another issue while trying to find their business card at the bottom of the pile of crap on your desk.

4. Rally your forces and broadcast your mission. Make sure people in your life KNOW that something huge is taking up your time, beforehand. There's nothing worse than having your best friend thinking you're lying somewhere dead in a ditch because you haven't answered your phone in three days. Ask for help when you need it and make sure you are gracious to ALL who lend a hand because you never know when you might need the support in the future. Sure, this massive project has turned you into a crazy person with little to no bandwidth for anything other than what is in front of your face, but some kind words and expressions of thanks go a long way. Always.

5. Breathe. No, seriously. I know it sounds cliche, but it's not. Take some time every day to just breathe a little, clear your head for a few minutes, and root yourself to that moment for the rest of the day. Stay in that moment as you move through and over any obstacle that comes your way, because they will, so there is no reason to deny it. By cultivating that calm energy, you can ensure you'll have the best chance of coming out the other side of things in one piece… albeit battered and bruised, but not broken.

Now, I've got about 487 things left to do before Sunday, and while I'd love to stay and chat, one of the dogs is covered in mud and my boyfriend is currently MIA due to the release of Star Wars: The Old Republic, so he's really no help at all. I think the Christmas tree is about to topple over from the weight of all the cheer I endowed upon it this year, and I have no idea where the wrapping paper is. Can someone call 911? I think I'm about to intubate myself with this wine bottle. KIDDING. Mostly.

I hope some of the above is helpful to at least one of you out there, because I know this time of year can get pretty rough for us all. On that note, I wish all of you the best this season and hope that the new year brings great things for you and yours.

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