By Holly Uverity CPO®, Office Organizers
Think about the last time you saw a trapeze artist and were in awe of what they did so far above the ground. In working with clients, I’ve realized that an organized person is like a trapeze artist and while it may seem a strange comparison, both are artists who need to keep their skills top notch. What skills do you already have that are similar to a trapeze artist?
The following are skills you might already have and, if not, are good to learn:
- Has Some Natural Ability but Takes Time to Learn New Skills
Most organized people have some inherent organizational abilities. They may be great at organizing events but not their paperwork. They may be great space planners but can’t manage their emails. Like a trapeze artist, an organized person takes the time to hone in on their natural skills as well as learning new ones.
- Focuses on the Task at Hand
A trapeze artist must maintain laser focus; they can’t be distracted by noise, lights, or commotion. They must be able to block out everything that doesn’t help them do that next maneuver. Organized people have that same ability to focus on what needs to be done next so they’re working proactively and not reactively. They are always working on both long and short term goals and not just on whatever bubbles up that day.
- Capable of Doing a Balancing Act
Organized people learn to balance their time and energy between those areas of their lives that are important to them. They understand that balance is a fluid notion – it doesn’t mean everything always fits nicely into blocks of time – but it does mean that they can get done what they need to without causing undue stress in any one area for a protracted period of time.
- Has a Flexible Net
The net under a trapeze artist has holes that are neither too small nor too big. If the holes are too small, the net is tight and if the artist falls into the net, it’s like falling onto pavement. If the holes are too large, the artist risks falling through the net and becoming injured. The net has to not just catch the artist but be flexible enough to absorb the energy and then lift them back up to where they were. An organized person’s net is their schedule. Organized people keep a flexible schedule and ensure that the holes in their days and weeks are neither too small nor too big. If there is too much scheduled time, there is no room for the unexpected and it’s as if they hit the pavement. Conversely, if there is not enough time set aside specifically to work on projects, things will not fall through the cracks but they will fall through the holes in the net. Organized people keep about 60% of their time free to allow for ‘falls’ – interruptions, unforeseen events, and fires they need to put out.
- Doesn’t Work Alone
One never sees a trapeze solo act; there is always two or more people working together. Organized people also work in groups because they understand that working in a vacuum is not effective. Organized people delegate because they know that delegation is a great time management technique. Organized people ask for help because they know that there may be a better way to get something done. They create agendas, timelines, and project outlines so that everyone on their team has the same information and is on the same page. Organized people understand that communication between team members is essential and that they can get more accomplished with a team than they can by themselves.
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Office Organizers, founded in 1993 by Holly Uverity, is The Entrepreneur’s Organizer. They work with business people to create solutions for their organizational challenges. You can contact them by phone at 281-655-5022 or visit them on the web at www.OfficeOrganizers.com. “Like” them on Facebook at www.fb.com/OfficeOrganizers.
