Glenn's little ugly blog

Raul over at Hummingbird604 recently wrote a post about keeping your desk organized. This has always been an issue for me so I figured I'd post a little response with a photo of my desk.

My work space is nowhere near as organized as Raul's. Notice the empty bowl from lunch on the left and the piles of paper everywhere.

It is, though, a very manageable mess for me – and I get work done. I guess since most of my job is done online the papers matter very little. My to-do lists are always easily accessible and any reference materials I might need can be found quickly.

I do, though, find that I need to review the papers every couple of weeks and recycle and make sure everything has been processed. But having the to-do lists ready at hand means that I know what I have to do at all times. I might have to spend a couple of seconds looking for a piece of paper with notes, but that's about it.

After being occupied for so long with planning Animal Advocacy Camp, I was suddenly left without a big and pressing project. Normally this would be a time to relax and spend some time at home, maybe watching some movies or reading a bit.

But, somewhat strangely, I actually felt down, maybe even a little depressed. It was like I was crashing after a high of some kind.

Keeping strong emotions in check is a bit tough. Managing my thoughts and feelings to keep them within a range that doesn't lead to me feeling like I'm lost or completely bored or frustrated is important.

It's in my best interest to reflect regularly on how involved I am becoming in the projects I am working on and how much of my own self-worth is tied up in the success of those projects.

Of course, these feeling always pass and I find myself planning new projects, deciding on next steps, and moving forward.

I think I'm also a bit tied up in outcomes from the Animal Advocacy Camp. I feel personally invested in the potential outcomes for each of the attendees, even though that is something I have no control over and really can't be responsible for.

My learning: do what you can but be prepared to let go of the outcome.