Oosouji is a Japanese New Year custom. Akin to the Western notion of "spring cleaning," it takes place precisely as one year draws to a close and a new one begins. The timing is important: It's considered inauspicious to drag old business, clutter and dust into a brand-new year.

This resonates with me. I know all too well that clutter can derail productivity. It's distracting. And it can be downright depressing.

For me, the most sabotaging kind of clutter isn't a sloppy stack of papers on a desk or a collection of Hummel figurines (though that's definitely distracting and borderline disturbing). The clutter I'm talking about is more emotional.

Like every writer I know, I have a multitude of projects large and small percolating at any given moment. I also have a stack of books in various stages of digestion. I don't punish my mind for its curiosity or creative meanderings. But time moves on -- sometimes leaving incomplete projects and unfinished books in its wake.

That's when enthusiasm starts to wane. Waning leads to nagging. And nagging eats away at creative energy. I, like most folks, want to finish what I start, but suddenly there's a more important deadline. Or a holiday. Or I simply don't feel like it.

I decided enough was enough. On a whim, I gave myself the last week of the year to clear out withering projects. I just couldn't stand the thought of hobbling into the New Year dragging the dead weight of lingering projects and mostly read books. I craved a fresh start. Renewed enthusiasm. Creative momentum.

I have to say that the experience was enlightening -- actually more lightening than anything else. In the span of a week, I knocked out a book a day (not that impressive since they were already mostly read, but I still felt accomplished), hammered out a handful of writing projects I had started earlier in the year (beyond satisfying), and even picked up my dusty violin (one of my goals for the coming year). Interestingly, clearing my dead-project queue seemed to have jump-started my resolutions for 2011.

I'm not waiting for next year to continue this new tradition. I think a clearing of the queue every quarter sounds about right.

Here's to a fresh start, renewed enthusiasm and creative momentum for all in 2011.

Photo Credit: Vicki Ashton