The Myth of "Getting Organized"

January is National Get Organized Month, and it's also one of my busiest months of the year, what with New Year's resolutions and all. Last week I picked up a few new clients, both of whom are women and both delightful. While working with one of the women in her home office we got to chatting about how to be a happy, productive, effective and organized person, you have to accept that life requires maintenance and that getting organized is a myth. Let me clarify...

Getting organized itself isn't a myth; people do it all the time. It's an event which can last a short time or an extended period, depending on the scope of the project. But make no mistake, it's an event like any other and there's an evil afoot that says once you get organized, you're done. "Woohoo! I'm finally organized and we're gonna party like it's 1999!!" 

Ummmm... no.

Living organized is very different than getting organized, and it requires a mindset shift before you can achieve it. The myth of "getting organized" persists because you don't like to think of yourself as high maintenance, but you are. I also suspect someone on MySpace is spreading the rumor, and if you're the one perpetuating it, be warned -- I'm coming after you with a vengeance. (You will NOT be on my Top Eight for sure after that!)

Anyway, this false expectation of "getting organized" keeps people in chaos because they set themselves up for failure and disappointment by imagining that once The Project is finished, it's finished. The truth is that once it's finished, it's only finished for now. It will require you (or someone you pay handsomely) to maintain the organizing work you did. There, I said it. You will have to file paper again. You will have to hang your clothes up on hangers and put them back into your closet again. You will have to clean out your email box again. There's no getting around it, and I'll just come out and say that I don't make the rules, I just tell you about 'em. Sorry.

Every aspect of your life requires some degree of care and maintenance. I know, I know, that's a bitter pill to swallow. Blecch. But once you do, you'll realized that it's not that hard for you to take control over your life and your time. How many times have you had your hair cut? How many times have you brushed your teeth? How many times have you gone grocery shopping? Stopped to fill your gas tank? Cooked dinner?

Is it more than once? I'll bet it's even more than twice. In fact, I bet  you've done those things thousands of times! Just as I suspected! MAINTENANCE rears its ugly head. You have to accept that life's little pieces each require regular attention in order to stay functioning, whether it's five seconds a day, a few minutes a week, an hour a month or only a few times a year. Whatever it is, it is... but get used to it, my friends. Only when you embrace and accept that regular maintenance is part of the success of life, can you be living organized.

Comments

[John Trosko]

A lot of stuff means a lot of maintenance. And having it all organized and container, with neat labels doesn't necessarily mean your're organized.

You are for the moment.

It's a process, and the rewards are huge.

If you revisit the places you've previously organized, you will re-discover items you previously thought you couldn't live without. And (hopefully) you've labeled the package enough to know you put it in the box 6-12 months ago, you should give yourself permission to toss it. It's a quiet conversation you can have with yourself, without much drama.

And that's where the on-going motivation comes in. It feels good.

- John

[Monica Ricci]

John, many people see salvation in organizing products, but you're so right, just containing clutter is not the answer -- nor is it organizing. Thanks for your comment!
~Monica