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When Organizing, Trust Your Instincts!
I was working with a client recently to organize her
home papers. We were purging papers that were no longer
needed, and sorting the keepers into categories so that
we could put them into files for future retrieval. So
far, so good. My client confided that she considers
herself organized at work, and actually likes a fairly
clutter-free environment. She shared that at home,
however, she has a really hard time dealing with paper.
This is not uncommon. Some clients can maintain
organizing systems at work, and not at home, while
others can keep it together at home, but things fall
apart at work. There are many reasons for this
organizing disparity, and I assumed that as I worked
with this client, the reasons would surface.
 And
surface they did. As soon as we started to set up the
filing system, I noticed that my client lacked
confidence in her decisions. When I would ask her what
to name a certain file, she would get very nervous,
mention a possible name, then second-guess herself
almost immediately. She became visibly distressed, and
started to lose steam. We took a break, and started
discussing what she was feeling. She was feeling
overwhelmed with choices, and was scared that she would
make the wrong choice (her words) and not be able to
find papers when she needed them later on. This, my
friends, is what happens when someone does not trust his
or her instincts when organizing.
It is not a surprise that my client became overwhelmed
as soon as we got to the implementation phase. This is
when you set up the organizing system in a way that
makes sense to you, and can be integrated into your life
(for more information on the stages of organizing,
check out my unique approach to organizing, DECIDE).
For many people, this is the toughest part, as it
requires the person to make decisions and own them. If a
person lacks confidence in his or her ability to set up
a system or to maintain it, that lack of confidence
usually manifests itself through indecision. For my
client, this reared its ugly head more at home than at
work. At work, often the systems are already in place
and an employee merely has to follow them. For some,
this makes it harder as the system may be far from what
he or she would have created. However, for others,
following a ready-made system is easier as it takes the
decision-making part out of the equation.So
what to do? Use your instincts. Go with your gut.
 If
you were unfortunate enough to have to sit for the SAT
exam in high school, you may remember the common tip
that people would give: do not change your first answer,
as it is usually the right one. You can say the same
thing when it comes to organizing systems. I often will
say to a client when they are having a hard time
choosing a name for a file, "Quick, what file name
would you think to look for this paper under?" I am
trying to make my clients use free association, and not
over-think the naming process. File names are only
important when it comes to retrieval, not storage. Most
people get caught up in what to name a file because they
are focusing on the front-end - the storage process. But
filing is most important on the back-end, during the
retrieval process, when you need to access something
quickly after time has gone by and your memory is not as
fresh.
I am amazed how often clients will fight their
natural organizing habits and tendencies. For example, a
client will explain that he is having a hard time with
mail being everywhere in his home. He will advise that
he has a mail slot system but is not using it. I ask
why. He tells me it is hanging by the front door, but he
uses the back door. I then suggest moving the mail slot
to hang near the back door. My client will say, "Oh
that makes sense, why didn't I ever think of that?"
Sometimes the easiest solution is staring you right in
the face, but you don't trust yourself to grab it.
Organizing systems should be intuitive, not difficult.
Back to my recent client. She realized that she
wanted to set up her filing system by using each family
member's name and then using sub-categories within each
person's file area. For example, let's say her son's
name is Tom. She wanted to have a main category called
Tom, and then file folders within that category for
Tom-Auto, Tom-Education, Tom-Medical, Tom-Work, etc. The
reason for this, she explained, is that she tends to
think of each person as a universe unto him- or herself.
Once she is within that universe, then she wants to
break it down by subject matter category. Others set up
their filing systems based on main subject matter
categories of Auto, Education, Medical, Work, etc. and
then use each family member's name as the sub-categories
and file folders within.
 Which
is right? Well, both, actually. It depends on the way
your brain thinks about and processes paper. For my
client, this system worked. As soon as we set up her
filing system in this manner, I could see her confidence
come back and her spirits rise. This felt "right" to
her. She just lacked the confidence to try it before.
So, when organizing, trust your instincts. They usually
guide you to a great solution.
Copyright © 2009 Lisa Montanaro of LM Organizing
Solutions, LLC.
Want to Use This Article in Your E-zine or
Website?
You can, as long as you use this
complete statement:
Copyright 2009. Lisa Montanaro is a Productivity
Consultant, Success Coach, Business Strategist, Speaker
and Author who helps people live successful and
passionate lives, and operate productive and profitable
businesses. Lisa publishes the monthly "DECIDE™ to be
Organized" e-zine for success-minded individuals, and
"Next Level Business Success" e-zine for entrepreneurs.
Subscribe today at
www.LMOrganizingSolutions.com. Lisa
is the author of The Ultimate Life Organizer: An
Interactive Guide to a Simpler, Less Stressful & More
Organized Life, published by Peter Pauper Press.
Lisa also publishes the DECIDE™ to be Organized blog at
www.DecideToBeOrganized.com. Through her work,
Lisa helps people deal with the issues that block
personal and professional change and growth. To explore
how Lisa can help take your business to the next level,
contact Lisa at (845) 988-0183 or by e-mail at
Lisa@LMOrganizingSolutions.com.
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Lisa's
skillful and knowledgeable help has been invaluable.
