Organizing Myths – Where People Get Hung Up When It Comes to Organization
Just mention the word “organization” and watch as full-grown adults go into sheer panic. Why?
The reason is that organizing is surrounded by countless myths and misconceptions that leave people dreading the job. Rather than face the task at hand, most people will give every excuse in the book for delaying the inevitable.
I think we can all agree, though, that learning how to organize is in everyone’s best interest. And guess what? It’s not even half as bad as people make it out to be. In fact, I’d venture to say that it could even be fun!
Let go of these three common misconceptions about organization and you can start living a better (neater!) life:
MYTH: Organization is all about perfection. Organizing isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s not about being perfect; it’s about finding a system that is perfect for you.
Your workspace should be a calm and happy place that you look forward to returning to, and a space that allows you to express your ideas and creativity. It should reflect your best self.
Having a system in place, even if it’s not the same as anyone else’s, allows that to happen.
MYTH: Organization isn’t for creative people. If you have an artist’s mind, you just can’t be organized, right? WRONG. Organizing, systematizing and automating the boring stuff actually support you in being more creative.
Just consider this: if you had a brilliant idea for a new painting, wouldn’t it be easier to get it onto the canvas if you knew where all your supplies were and could quickly locate them?
A disorganized space introduces distractions and wastes valuable time. And frankly, if you have to spend 15 minutes searching for the right brush or the correct color, you might lose your creative energy by the time you actually get started.
MYTH: Organization is judgmental. The recent popularity of home organization books and television shows has led many people to believe that in order to be organized, they have to do things in a certain way. That couldn’t be more false!
Being organized comes in many different shapes and sizes. It’s what works for you and the people around you.
What is organization not? Perfection! It just needs to feel good and work for you (see my first point).