Where Do I Start?

Spring is approaching and with it, the annual tradition of spring cleaning.

Recently, I got it into my head that, in the spirit of spring cleaning, I was going to sort and clean spaces throughout my house that had accumulated “stuff.” The spaces where items mindlessly get dumped or set down and begin to build up. Closets, the basement, the laundry room, the “junk drawer” which every house has, the catch-all space.

And while I set out with the purest of intentions, I soon realized why this build up happens. Because it’s easier than dealing with it. I’ll admit that, as I stood there staring at only a single drawer, I felt overwhelmed. I had no clue where to start. I didn’t have a plan.

I think it’s safe to say that this feeling is something we all share. That moment of looking at a huge task and feeling lost. Not because there is nothing that needs done, but because there is too much that needs to be done.  Sometimes, having too many options is as bad as having no options.

When it comes to the communities that your United Way serves, trying to figure out how to start helping can lead to the same feelings I had staring at my “junk drawer.” Overwhelming and disheartening. There are so many people and agencies that need your help, so many issues that are worthy of your time. How can you ever tackle all of them?

As I stared at the “junk drawer,” feeling lost I realized something. I couldn’t sort all of this out at the exact same time. I needed a plan and to break this up into manageable bits. So, I focused on writing utensils and developed a game plan. First, I found every single writing utensil and separated them from the rest of the mess. Then I separated them into groups: crayons, markers, pens, and pencils. Finally, I returned them all to their respective homes throughout the house. And only when I had successfully solved that first issue did I move on. By focusing on one thing at a time, I was able to take on the task at hand without feeling overwhelmed. I had a plan that didn’t involve me solving everything. Rather, I solved one bit at a time.

This is the answer to United Ways that feel lost. As long as you try to solve everything, you will never make the progress you want. You need to pick one issue to focus on at a time. It doesn’t matter whether it’s poverty, early childhood education, hunger, or the graduation rate. What matters is that you section out a bit of the mess that you want to fully solve and develop a plan to get there.

The best part of my cleaning was after I finished returning the crayons and pens to their homes and went back to the drawer to reassess. As I looked in, I could clearly see that I had made an impact on the state of the drawer. I could see how removing those items had changed the condition of the drawer and created very real results.

Your United Way can do the same. By picking one issue, creating a plan, and then fully dedicating yourself to your task, you can give yourself a direction. And, even better, you can make change that is clear to those looking in at your community. There will be a clear before and after.

Like my “junk drawer” there may still be a mess that needs more cleaning. But at least you took the first step by impacting one issue.

If you would like to learn more about how you can stop feeling lost and start focusing on creating meaningful and measurable change you can watch our free webinar United Way Survival Guide: How to Keep Your United Way From Dying.