PROJECT PURPOSE

The purpose of this project is to assist individuals in overcoming disorganization and maintaining a sense of organization and structure in their enviornment. By utilizing what we know about memory processes, providing practical strategies, tools, and support, we aim to help people improve their organizational skills and enhance their psychological well-being.

WHY ORGANIZATION?

Organization has more of effect on our well-being than you might think. We've found that disorganization can lead to increased stress, decreased productivity, and difficulties in managing daily tasks and responsibilities. By offering assistance and guidance in developing effective organizational strategies, we aimed to improve individual’s psychological well-being and enhance their ability to navigate their lives more efficiently. Our project aimed to empower individuals, enabling them to regain control over their environments and experience the numerous benefits that come with improved cleaning habits, including reduced stress levels, increased productivity, and a greater sense of clarity and peace of mind.

LOGIC MODEL

THE ACTIVITIES

The provided activities incorporates the Wise Interventions Approach as well as class material on Memory, Creativity, and outside research on Organization as it relates to well-being.

The purpose of the first section is to assist the reader in identifying their cleaning-related autobiographical memories and beliefs. This is due to the fact that recognizing this cycle is comparable to understanding the precise etiology of a disease (such contaminated water or cholera). Knowing a specific maladaptive meaning-making process can lead to effective therapies, just as it can suggest useful reforms (improved cleanliness) (Walton & Wilson, 2018). Naming the source of your disorganized beliefs might provide a theoretical explanation for what will be beneficial while attempting to unlearn such habits.
As a result, we propose the following activity: A memory reflection journal activity prompt in which participants are invited to write about their family's cleaning practices and how they were influenced by them. We also invited the viewer to write in a journal about instances in which they may have been labeled as an untidy or disorderly person.

Following that, we discussed how growing up in a disorderly household moulds someone into being messy as well as the thoughts that can result from that setting. We then move the subject to begin modifying their previous beliefs about themselves.

Journal activity: The reader was then invited to recall a period in their life when they effectively adapted a habit in a journal format. Then, in response to that challenge, we asked them to enter an imaginative space in which they imagined themselves as cleaner and more organized. They are urged to be descriptive about how it looks and feels.They are asked to recollect a moment when they learned a new habit in order to demonstrate the likelihood of it happening again. Making the reader imagine themselves as ordered contributes in changing the lens through which people make conclusions about themselves (Walton & Wilson, 2018).

Now that the reader hopefully feels a sense of capability, they will view a set of achievable goals based on Harriet Shechter’s (2005) 10-step decluttering program.

List of tips/goals: The tips are organized by goals they can practice immediately (for example, storing frequently used items in convenient places and only keeping clothing that makes them feel comfortable) and elements they can incorporate into their daily routines (for example, setting aside time every day to organize and going through one cluttered space per day).

The viewer will also be given journaling exercises and advice on how to maintain the new organizing habits. They will first be introduced to motivational techniques that may be used to repeatedly make a situation more enjoyable and rewarding (for example, the star-chart method), as well as statements that can raise their confidence while they are cleaning. Additionally, they will be urged to do certain executive functioning-enhancing mindfulness activities that we will teach in order to prevent feeling overwhelmed.

The readers will be asked to conclusively close this book by writing encouraging statements regarding their abilities, current feelings, and overall well-being after completing our program.

Workbook.pdf

ABOUT THE CREATORS

Caitlyn "Cat" Sato

I'm a junior at Pacific University, majoring in Psychology. My research interest is in childhood development. Throughout the class and whilst working on this project, I began understanding the amazing things that memory can do. I give myself and others more grace with the knowledge of memory malleability. I also feel more capable of being organized

:-)

Kinsey Smith

I'm a senior at Pacific University, currently pursuing a major in Psychology with a minor in Business. My passion for helping others has driven me to explore various avenues where I can make a positive impact. Through working on this project focused on helping people stay organized, I've gained a deeper understanding of the intricate process of memory and how it can be harnessed and applied to enhance our lives. It's been a valuable learning experience and I hope these resources can help people on their personal growth and well-being journeys.

Trinity Millier

I’m a sophomore at Pacific University, double majoring in psychology and mathematics. I want to use math to make psychological research more cohesive and grounded in statistics. I’m also an artist, and created the visuals for our self-help program. This project was an opportunity for me to apply what I learned this semester in a format that will hopefully help someone out of a rut. I hope that people will feel more capable and in control of their own lives because of this project.

Haru Kuratani

I am a junior at Pacific University, majoring in Psychology. This project was a really insightful journey that will help me just as much as I hope it will help others. Organization has always been something that I tried really hard to maintain, and learning the applications of memory to decluttering, as well as the theory behind this project (Wise Interventions), has been a very educational experience. I hope that people can come away from this site with the knowledge in how to change one's environment for the better, as well as gain the ability to use the tools provided to change their mindset on keeping their areas clean and neat.

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