"It's Hard to Make a Difference When You Can't Find Your Keys" is a brilliant, provocative, and profound book. Marilyn Paul delves deeply into human nature as she discusses organization, and she offers remedies for the disorganized that respect one's intelligence as well as uniqueness. Her approach is innovative and totally convincing. This book goes far beyond all that has previously been written on this subject. A wonderful book that I am using in my own life and recommending to my friends as well as patients.

--Dr. Edward Hallowell, Author of Driven to Distraction and The Childhood Roots of Adult Happiness

Based on her work with a broad spectrum of managers and professionals, Marilyn Paul helps readers confront two hard and often denied facts about our own disorder: the chaos we create is more stressful than creative; and it wreaks havoc on the lives of our family, friends, and coworkers. By showing us the way back into a world of calmness and order, she gives readers a great gift -- the freedom to be truly creative and effective.

Robin J. Ely
Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior
Harvard Business School

Marilyn Paul has transformed "organizing" into a path of growth for the adventurous soul. Her empathic and creative work shows how the messes of everyday life are an intrinsic part of deepening one's spiritual path. It's Hard to Make a Difference When You Can't Find Your Keys is a must read for people seeking to bring more of their true selves to light.

Rabbi Marc Gafni, author of Soul Prints: Your Path to Fulfillment

For teams and workgroups, disorganization disrupts communication and undermines morale – and makes it just plain difficult to get things done the right way and on schedule. Marilyn Paul's unique (and totally engaging!) insights into how to create great team performance will be of value to any organization. No more chasing our tails fixing things in ways that cause more chaos! Kudos to the end of lost keys!

Ginny Wiley
President
Pegasus Communications, Inc.

“If you misplace receipts, procrastinate at tax time, and can’t find your desk top;
if you read organizing books galore but still can’t seem to stay on time and on-target; if you’re a small business owner or a consultant or a corporation, you need this book. Do yourself and your business a favor: Stop slapping bandaids on your organizational nightmares and read Marilyn Paul. Leave the land of messes forever and rejoice in your increased creativity and time.”

Fern Reiss, author, The Publishing Game: Bestseller in 30 Days

It’s Hard to Make a Difference When You Can’t Find Your Keys explores the most profound identity questions of who we are and what we care about. Yet Marilyn goes about it through a rather surprising focus: the nitty, gritty mess and disorganization of our lives. Dr. Paul is systems-thinker. Unlike other books about how to get organized this one takes readers on a journey into the soft underbelly of domestic and professional disorganization, and leads us on a path to profound personal search, discovery and renewal. There is no quick fix here. Instead, a serious reading of this book can lead to lasting and profound re-ordering (at last!) of how we organize our time, lives and relationships.

Jay Rothman, Ph.D., President of The ARIA Group, Inc. and Author of Resolving Identity-Based Conflicts in Nations, Organizations and
Commmunities.

"Paul, an organizational development consultant, offers scattered readers a way out of the 'swamp of disorder' in this smart look at the underlying causes of chronic disorganization. Though she offers concrete advice, her book goes beyond a step-by-step program to getting organized; her approach targets many of the sources of disorganization while offering meaningful paths to tackling everything from dirty dishes and filing problems to time management and inner spirituality. Paul artfully weaves the existential and the practical, as she shows how presence of mind can lead to a sense 'of a greater Presence.'"

Publishers Weekly

Thank you for writing the book IT'S HARD TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE WHEN YOU CAN'T FIND YOUR KEYS. I've been trying to get organized all my life, and I'm 60 years old. I also believe that I have ADD - very distractible.

From your book, I learned two things that started helping right away.

1. The cycle "ready for action, action, mess, restore order" works. I always think I have to work up to the last minute and have never allowed that extra time to clean up and put things away. I felt if I took that time I was not doing anything important and was taking time away from the next project.

2. I feel so good because I'm taking time to clean up and finish the project before beginning a new one. This step really frees my mind to focus better on the next project. I also spend less time looking for things and being frustrated because I can't remember where I left the stuff I need.

Great book - I appreciate your efforts to help me get organized and your efforts to help me find the ways that fit my life and my attitudes about life. This is not another rule to learn. This a system to live.

Sincerely,
Andra Atteberry
Manchester, IA 52057

I just started your book and as I look around my desk, all I can say is THANKS for writing this. I feel like there is hope for me.

Anne Grieves
Elderhostel, Inc.

I saw the review on the Spirituality & Health website. I have read many books on "organizing," but yours is the one I needed. It puts being organized in the context of all of life. Your approach inspires me and I am now working through the exercises in the book. I especially appreciate the chapter on spirituality-I have never read anything related to organizing that even comes close to the depth of this chapter and, indeed, of the entire book. Thank you!

Karen Snyder
Managing Editor
Corporate Communications & Public Affairs
UPMC Health Plan

I have finally carved out time to use your book --

I LOVE IT!!!!! IT IS SHEER GENIUS!! I have only read the first 50 pages or so and already feel things shifting.

Defining my purpose and clarifying the costs of disorganization and the benefits of organization have been like putting powerful jet fuel into my engine. It has helped me take off and commit to the process much more deeply. Here is my newly clarified purpose, thanks to your exercises: "To enjoy all of life's gifts to their fullest!"

A reader in Jerusalem, Israel

Thanks for writing your book. I found it by chance in Minneapolis. I have read so many books on organizing myself. I had lost confidence that I could ever change. Both your writing style and circumstances remind me of myself -- the examples of disorganization and the feeling they evoke. I read them outloud to my family and they laugh with me at the similarities: I'm a successful independent consultant. I picked up the book because I have a reputation for losing my keys. My stepson gave me an electronic key finder for Christmas and it helped. Real change, however is much better. Thanks and good luck with the sale of your book.

Susan James