There’s been a meme circulating in the last couple weeks about how Shakespeare wrote King Lear under quarantine. It’s unclear if it’s apocryphal or true, but whatever the case, the message is clear: Even under dire circumstances, great things can be accomplished. Or to put it even more strongly, there’s a kind of creativity and genius that is born of confinement. Some people find this notion inspiring, “Wow! I can still be productive when so much is beyond my control! I’m going to write that epic novel!”Others find it annoying, “Please. How am I supposed to be productive while Western civilization collapses all around me? And by the way, you’re not Shakespeare.”I vacillate between the two. Whichever you may be, all we can do is our best. This might be a great time to get your life in order. It also might be a great time to rewatch all seven seasons of the West Wing.As an organizer, my advice is this: If you have the bandwidth (and the good fortune to be able to shelter in place), pick one small project- one that can be finished in a sitting- and set a fixed amount of time to do it, say 2 hours. Put your phone on speaker, reach out to someone you love as you fold or toss or neaten. And if you’re not up for it, that’s okay. Shakespeare was Shakespeare. You’re you. Do the best you can.More tips to follow…