--- title: "STYLE Savvy: But I Don't Have Time!" description: Lisa Hess offers 6 strategies to help find - and make - the time to organize. image: https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/20210623%20LHess%202.png ---                                           [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/style-savvy-but-i-dont-have-time#) [HOME](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/tag/home) # STYLE Savvy: But I Don't Have Time! Jun 23, 2021 8:30:00 AM  |  by [Lisa Hess](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/lisa-hess) ![featured image](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/20210623%20LHess%202.png) *Lisa Hess offers 6 strategies to help find - and make - the time to organize.* The past year and a half of hybrid teaching has done a great job of unceremoniously shoving everything out of its way, my writing included. A few weeks ago, as I took steps toward making my writing a priority again, I thought about a question we often ask ourselves when it comes to organizing. #### How do I find time to organize? We all know that the end result will be a time saver but life always seems to intervene. In the last year, life not only intervened, it left quite a bit of chaos in its wake.  So. How do you take the time you need to create order?   #### Make it a priority. I know that sounds like an admonishment, but it's not because I feel your pain. I desperately wanted writing time, but there weren't enough hours in the day -- at least not enough hours during which I had the energy to concentrate on the task at hand. When I finally realized that I was using my best hours on other things, that was the nudge I needed. One (or several) of those things could be moved out of prime time one day (or more) a week so I could put writing (organizing) first. Sometimes, it's as simple as a shift in the schedule. Other times a little creativity, delegating or outsourcing may be in order. Or maybe a little takeout while I spend the time I'd have spent cooking writing (organizing) instead. #### Go public.  I took the first step toward this months ago when my writing accountability partner and I agreed that Zoom meetings were better than no meetings at all. We're pretty good at being both carrot and stick for one another, knowing when compassion is needed and when a good, swift reminder is the better approach. The thing this week that pushed me forward most of all? Signing up for a virtual writing retreat through my college. I participated last summer and got soo much done. Prime time writing (or organizing) + accountability = success. And small successes often nudge us to larger ones. #### Remember that taking small steps works.  I'm teaching a summer class, so there's no way I can attend every session of the virtual writing retreat but I know from last summer that it was fun, motivating and it had an element of socializing as well, so I hated to say no. Saying yes meant setting my perfectionism aside (I must do every session every day!) and committing to the sessions I could attend.  #### Commit (in your own mind).  I know from last summer that the schedule for the writing retreat is flexible and I can add or subtract sessions as I need to without reducing my public credibility, but I also need to make a commitment to myself. The first step was marking that week out in my calendar. Next, I had to make a promise to myself: no appointments will fill what looks like blank squares on my planner page unless there is absolutely no other choice. Finally, I took out a pencil and (lightly) marked a great big W (for writing) in each of those blocks. No blank space? No room to add a commitment because that time is already spoken for. #### Do the prep work. The writing retreat is two weeks away. In the meantime, there are elements of my summer class I can take care of so I don't have to do them that week, freeing up more time to attend additional sessions. If you're going to schedule a block of time to organize, be specific (and realistic) in terms of what you want to accomplish. The night before (or the morning of if you're a lark like my husband), make sure everything you want to work on is in one spot. Then, when it's time to dig in, you won't waste precious time.   > [Click to tweet: > We all know that the end result will be a time saver but life always seems to intervene. #catholicmom](https://ctt.ac/1O0R1) Why didn't I do all of this in the last year and a half? Because everything else that was going on managed to consume all the energy I had. Some times are like that. In those times, I rely on small steps. Write the blog post even if it's late. Grade part of the stack of papers. Make a list of what I'll do when life eases up and I can somehow locate some creative energy again. Every step forward is a step in the right direction.  So. How will you find time to organize?   ![20210623 LHess 3](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/20210623%20LHess%203.png?width=1080&name=20210623%20LHess%203.png)   --- Copyright 2021 Lisa Hess Image: Canva Pro ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fstyle-savvy-but-i-dont-have-time%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fstyle-savvy-but-i-dont-have-time%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fstyle-savvy-but-i-dont-have-time%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=STYLE%20Savvy%3A%20But%20I%20Don%27t%20Have%20Time%21) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fstyle-savvy-but-i-dont-have-time%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fstyle-savvy-but-i-dont-have-time%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Lisa Hess](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Lisa%20Lawmaster%20Hess.jpg) ### [Lisa Hess](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/lisa-hess) Transplanted Jersey girl Lisa Lawmaster Hess is the author of a blog compilation, three novels, and three non-fiction books, including the award-winning Know Thyself: The Imperfectionist’s Guide to Sorting Your Stuff. A retired elementary school counselor, Lisa is an adjunct professor of psychology at York College of Pennsylvania. She blogs at [The Porch Swing Chronicles](http://l2hess.blogspot.com/), [Organizing by STYLE](http://www.orgbystyle.blogspot.com/), and here at Catholicmom.com. [Read all articles by Lisa Hess](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/lisa-hess). [**](https://www.facebook.com/L2Hess/) [**](https://twitter.com/orgbystyle) ## Related Blog Articles [ STYLE Savvy: Don't Buy into the Hype Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2017/05/03/style-savvy-dont-buy-hype) [ STYLE Savvy: Wait! Don't Throw That Away! Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/style-savvy-wait-dont-throw-that-away) [ Back to School with STYLE: If You (Don't) Love it, Set it Free Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2015/10/21/back-to-school-with-style-if-you-dont-love-it-set-it-free) ## Comments ## Donate now [![Support Catholic Mom](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545) [![CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) ##### Subscribe to Catholic Momcast on iTunes or Spotify [![itunes-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/itunes-logo-black.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-momcast/id1362352357)[![spotify-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/spotify-logo-black.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/15CoipHL7z61IDcYErV0b8?si=hqaQJSxDQgq7S1hxCwsoxQ) ##### CatholicMom on Social Networks [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) ##### About Catholic Mom [Who We Are](https://www.catholicmom.com/about-us) [Contact Us](https://www.catholicmom.com/contact) [Support CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/support-us)   ##### Associated Links [Holy Cross Family Ministries](https://www.hcfm.org/) [Family Rosary](https://www.familyrosary.org/) [Family Theater Productions](https://www.familytheater.org/) [Congregation of the Holy Cross](https://www.holycrossusa.org/) [Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.](https://www.fatherpeyton.org/) [The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life](https://www.peytonfamilyinstitute.org/) ### **Stay connected!** Don’t miss a thing! 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