By Holly Uverity, CPO®, Office Organizers
I believe that anyone who truly wants to get his or her office organized can. It’s much more than just tossing things out and making new folders; it requires time, energy, and commitment to change – or what I call the 6 Cs.
Consciousness
We are all familiar with the quote, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” When it comes to organizing, people often believe that this is the time that they are going to get and stay organized; this is the time that it will work. Yet they’re not really aware of what’s going on. They don’t understand that getting organized, like any other behavior change you want to make, begins with being conscious.
Being conscious means that you are aware of what is actually going on with you and your office. For most people, that means stopping and taking an inventory of not only your physical space but your emotional space. It’s important to become fully aware of what the issues are and what possible solutions might be. Beginning an organizing project without becoming conscious first will ensure that your organizing efforts will fail. You’ll continue to do the same thing, expect different results, and never understand why it isn’t working.
Clarity
If you don’t know why you want to get organized, you won’t. It’s critical that you have clarity before you begin; otherwise it’s a waste of time to start. Ask yourself, “Why are you getting organized; what are your goals? Are you doing this for you, for your spouse, for your boss? Are you doing this because you want to or is it because you have to? Are you ashamed of your space? Do you feel guilty? Are you getting organized out of fear or out of a true desire to become more productive and efficient?” These are all valid reasons to begin an organizing project but require different approaches, different skills, and different resources.
If you don’t have clear ideas of what you want your space to look like and how you want to make changes, it won’t happen. It’s important to get clear about both the how and the why before you begin so you’ll be able to make adjustments later. Understanding the why helps you as you are faced with making decisions throughout the course of the organizing project.
Commitment
Organizing is a skill and as such, it can be learned. As with learning any new skill, getting organized requires commitment; commitment to the process, commitment to change, and commitment to making adjustments.
We know that it takes 28 days to create a new habit, so start making changes in one small area and commit to those new behaviors for 28 days. If you miss a day and accidentally backslide, the 28 days start over. Remember that the behavior change doesn’t have to be something huge – it’s important that you commit to the process and have some positive results and that will give you the motivation to continue. You can commit to change.
Creativity
One size does not fit all when it comes to organizing so be sure to tap into your creativity when trying to design your new system. Take a look at what works for others but don’t be afraid to tweak what you see to make it work for you. Be creative in your tools – look for organizing products in non-traditional places. There are lots of places now where you can buy fun and functional organizing products. If your system isn’t your own, you won’t use it. And remember, it’s ok to tweak it as you go.
Calculations
One of the biggest mistakes people make is not realizing what they need for their organizing project before they need it; they neglect to calculate their time, tools, and resources.
To calculate your time, begin by writing down how you spend your day. Write down everything you do and how long it takes you and you’ll begin to see how much time you’ll have to budget for this project. To calculate your tools, recognize what organizing tools and products you already have so you don’t buy what you don’t need. To calculate your resources, plan the project. What will you need when? Will you need extra recycling bins at your desk? And don’t forget people – they are one of your best resources – who can help you with this? How can they help you? What can you do and what can they do that will move you along this project?
Consistency
Keeping your desk clear, emptying your email inbox, processing your paperwork in a timely manner, these are all examples of consistency. Being consistent is truly the key to staying organized – it’s not workable to create new systems all the time so it’s important that once you make a decision about how to handle your paper, you do it that same way over and over again. When you are consistent, you begin to run on autopilot for the mundane, ordinary things and you actually clear space in your brain for the creative, fun parts of your work. Automate the routine things in your office so you’ll have the time and energy to deal with the things that are not.
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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.
