Costco's Connection magazine, June 2008, contained the article, "Is Being Neat and Organized Overrated?" The piece featured contrasting opinions by David Freedman, author of "A Perfect Mess: The Hidden Benefits of Disorder" and Standolyn Robertson, president of the National Association of Professional Organizers. They asked you to vote your opinion.
If you have read any of my previous articles or have been at one of my time management sessions, you will know how I voted. In my life, with so much going on, I need to be able to find anything quickly, I want to be responsive to my clients, I require that office work be prioritized for those few days when I am at my desk, and I want to be comfortable in my surroundings as I work.
I know you too have a lot going on in your life, handling multiple demands on your time, being responsive to work and family, and then trying to carve out a little time for yourself to maintain fitness and keep down stress. Being able to easily manage this adds up to “organized.” I do not find anything negative about feeling in control.
Mr. Freedman's arguments in opposition claim that an organized person is:
- Stifling creativity
- Missing surprises
- Creating constant work
- (Stifling creativity) When I have a clear surface and can find my materials quickly, I can be very creative. When disorder surrounds me, it blocks me with its distractions and makes me feel guilty about doing the “fun” and creative things.
- (Missing surprises) Since I have a schedule, I can book in vacations and family visits. Because I do not let things pile up until the last minute, I have greater flexibility. I have never had to decline a last-minute invitation because of a looming deadline.
- (Creating constant work) Yes, it does take time to hang up your clothes or put something away in a drawer, but the payback is that I do less ironing, and I can easily retrieve an item versus spending extra minutes hunting for something that was buried or shifted around by others.
If you hear a successful business person talking about not being organized, chances are that this individual has a team for support, including a spouse, who manages their calendar and their paperwork, ensuring that they show up for the appropriate meetings, that contracts are signed, and bills paid on time. The team's organization contributes to the success.
One reason that I so strongly advocate the benefits of an organized life is that I can see it from both sides every week. My individual clients and the audiences in my time management seminars want more tools to help them keep up. They are overwhelmed and seeking solutions that will improve their productivity. From our sessions, the relief that a person often displays at the end of a day after we have set up an efficient, effective office can be palpable.
Claiming that disorder is beneficial sounds to me like one more excuse for procrastinating. What is your opinion? Would you prefer to operate from disorder or organization?
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