Think of this statement for a second: A chaotic life is the result of a disorganized mind.
While there is truth in the phrase, I find the application to be much more nuanced. Ultimately the goal of creating an organized life is to direct ones outcomes. This result is determined by your resilience to crisis and preparedness for opportunity.
There are levels to an organized life. At the most basic level, think of the last time you lost your keys. Recall the sense of panic you had, and the feeling of being stuck and unable to get where you needed to go. You looked high and low, and walked around in circles to ensure you did not overlook them. While this is a basic scenario, the most elemental result of disorder can be identified at this level-panic and feeling stuck. The complexity of disorder expands depending on your circumstances and environment. One’s ability to ‘get one’s life together’ requires a more complex level of organization–yet attainable with time, attention and intention. This curbing of disorder is to rid oneself of constant panic and the fear of being stuck.
The result remains the same-influencing outcome in your favor. The benefits of an organized life are many, but leading a life that bears good fruit is the goal. If a chaotic life is the result of a disorganized mind, how does one go about transforming that mindset? Here I provide seven basic idea to remember as you set out to become organize your life/career and set out to accomplish the things you desire.
Memory is fallible.
We will not remember everything that needs to get done. Sometimes, memory comes back as a fleeting thought– “oh, I need to feed the cat…” Other times when we force ourselves to remember our to-do lists, we only recall two or three of the five things on that list. Many of us pride ourselves with having strong memories, but in reality, we forget so much of what we hear and see and need to do. Memory is limited, the first rule that organized people live by is to make lists. Simply write down what needs to be done and check it off once complete is the most basic foundation.
Even the things we experience that are meant t be lessons easily fade into the recesses of our mind. When we encounter disorder, we forget that we have gone through similar situations before. We forget the feeling of panic that evolved into feeling stuck with no way out. We even forget the relief we felt when we discovered the solution and emerged victorious. I recommend keeping a journal, to record taxing dilemma and how were able to get out of the challenging situation.
Label Everything
Confession, I have a ton of clothes. I have totes packed full of seasonal clothes that I’ve had for years. Of the summer clothes, there are: beach attire, evening wear, work cloths, and don’t let me get started on shoes. There are different types of sandals, dress shoes, outdoor shoes, etc. Now multiply that by each season and a multiple celebrations! At times, I think to myself, that I need to only buy clothes that can be worn year round. It sounds practical, but I end up deviating. So I have to keep everything labeled. Everything that I have ends up categorized in a smaller tote or vacuum sealed bag with a big fat label on the outside indicating what it is and when it needs to be used. At work I have my gadget drawer and a snack drawer, kept under lock and key. Even electronics cords get their own bag as warranties are in another–both stored in the gadget drawer. Even digital files have a their own data flow and logic trees!
Evaluate Dependencies
This is more of an internal feedback loop that most people have, but super organized people rely on it more fully. It requires some level of prioritization of your list. By evaluating dependences, one takes a look at everything that needs to be done and sees if there are any items on the list that depend on the execution of another item. Sometimes you realize you can take care of multiple things at a time. There is the old adage: Kill two birds with one stone. The more things you can tackle the less disorder one has to encounter.
Plan Contingencies
Planning in advance what do do if something fails is paramount. This involves looking forward into the near future to identify what could do wrong based around the current circumstances. Failing to get things done is a failure of planning an alternative route. If you have something on your list that needs to get done, you have to determine the most effective way to ensure you do not falter for too long if you get off track. If a task is at risk of setting back you goals, perhaps you can outsource the task to to a friend or family member- bribe them with hot donuts.
Developing internal processes
We all have our processes, our way of doing things, our routines. Unless you are doing ground breaking research where every experiment needs to be replicated exactly, you are free to modify the process to make it more bearable. This is ideal when you are not necessarily a rule follower. You have to make a process your own to ensure what you set out to do is sustainable.
Everything has a place
Putting things back in place is good practice that I follow and have begun to rely on increasingly. By putting things in its place, you have no need to spend time looking for things. Creating this system helps out that fallible memory of ours! There is a quote in the Book of Ecclesiastes that says ‘everything has a season and a time for every purpose’. One of the examples it lists in the passage is a ‘time to keep and a time to cast way’. This reminds me of our tendency to horde things that no longer have a place–like my favorite swim trunk that has become a bit….snug. Sometimes, its place with with someone else. Do not be afraid to declutter if it is affecting you in some way. Decluttering can free up both mental and physical space.
Adopt a Motto
In college my fraternity had an unofficial motto that I still live with to this day. It is simply, ‘leave things better than you found them’ – even if it were just replacing the furniture after an event. By operating with this core principle in mind, you can be a valuable asset wherever you end up. This modus operandi is transferrable to every area of personal and professional life. In any given scenario, simply imagine how you can leave it better than you found it. As people see that you are diligent with whatever they entrust to you, they will be more willing to offer you more opportunity and support goals of your own.
