5 Organizing Myths Keeping You from Getting Organized

by lisa on January 3, 2012

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The following post is from Lisa of Working Naked:

source: miss.killer!

For years, I’ve worked with clients who’ve tried everything to organize their home offices, but then have finally given up. Either they didn’t know where to start or were overwhelmed by the process. They also started to believe the negative comments their family and friends were telling them about getting organized.

If you’ve tried to organize your home office and have given up, or have started to believe what others have told you for years about getting organized, it’s time to change your thinking. When you stop believing old organizing myths, you can move forward and get your home office organized.

Myth #1 You have to be born organized to be organized.

We learn both good and bad habits at an early age, and you can change any bad habit, including disorganization. When I was in the corporate world, co-workers who had organized offices told me that their homes were a mess. They focused more on their workspace because that’s where they generated their income. By the time they came home from work every day, they were too exhausted to organize anything. The bottom line is that you can learn to be organized, and it’s easier if you’re motivated to make a few changes.

Myth #2 You have to use a daily to-do list.

Planning day-to-day isn’t realistic for everyone. One person may do the same task every week, while someone else’s plans may change daily. Using a daily to-do list isn’t for everyone and can keep some people from being productive. Even the thought of having to move uncompleted tasks to the next day can be discouraging and overwhelming. Think about the way you work, and then plan by the day or plan by the week.

Myth #3 Being organized means being a perfectionist.

Many people will agree that perfectionists are annoying. They spend time on insignificant details, while ignoring the bigger picture. While other people complete a project quickly and on time, the perfectionist keeps plugging away at the project until it’s perfect. Doing things perfectly doesn’t mean you’re organized. In fact, striving for perfection can keep you from being organized. If you’re a perfectionist, make your standards more realistic and focus on ways to increase your productivity level.

Myth #4 There’s only one way to get organized.

Everyone works differently. Some people like to work with a perfectly clear desk, while others feel more comfortable having piles of paper around them. You could set up your home office to look the same as a friend’s home office, but if you have different working styles your home office will go back to being disorganized. When you realize that your home office doesn’t have to be set up the same way as someone else, your office will fit your needs better.

Myth #5 If you can’t get organized, you’re a failure.

I’ve met many people who feel discouraged and lack any confidence in themselves that they’ll ever get organized. They mistake their inability to have an organized home office with being a failure or a loser. While they may not be able to organize their office, they have skills that others don’t.

If you’re discouraged about your home office, take a step back and find one thing you could change about it today. Organizing your home office is a step-by-step process and the first step is to stop beating yourself up about the way your office looks. You can change it.

The old saying, “Don’t believe everything you hear, and only believe half of what you see” is still true. By believing in yourself and realizing your abilities, you’ll be one step closer to having an organized home office.

What organizing myths have you heard and no longer believe?

Home office expert Lisa Kanarek is the founder of WorkingNaked.com and the author of five books about working from home, including Organize Your Home Office for Success. Lisa works with entrepreneurs and home-based employees through seminars and individual consultations, to create functional home offices that meet each individual’s working style.

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Tagged as: lisa

  • http://www.warriormama.com/ LIsa

    I agree on ALL points! My biggest hurdle when starting with new organizing clients is erasing all thier preconcieved orgnaizing myths! :) Lisa

    • http://twitter.com/WorkingNaked Lisa Kanarek

      That’s true. They feel that they’re failures and can’t make any changes when in fact, even a small change can make a difference.

  • Dottie Rupp

    Do you give talks to groups? When & where are some upcoming ones

    • http://twitter.com/WorkingNaked Lisa Kanarek

      Hi Dottie- So far, all of my seminar bookings this year are for associations and corporations. Please add your name to my mailing list and I’ll keep you posted about public seminars and webinars.

  • http://www.happywivesclub.com/ Fawn

    Hmmm… One that I’ve heard that’s extremely popular is not to check emails in the morning.  I remember when I was the GM of a hotel and someone gave me that book and at first I thought it was an awesome concept and then reality sunk in…  That’s just not possible for my role so I need a different solution.

    • http://twitter.com/WorkingNaked Lisa Kanarek

      I agree. With clients in different time zones, I can’t wait until late morning to check e-mails, either. Instead, I limit the number of times I check it all day. It’s made a big difference in my productivity.

  • http://livingthebalancedlife.com Bernice Wood

    One that I had to accept is that there are different ways of organizing. My house will never look like the pages of Real Simple. But I have been working towards finding what works for me. 
    For instance, I am a pile-r. I pile everything. While I do TRY to keep things sorted and  neat, I have found that baskets and containers to help contain different categories of piles works well for me. It can still be a pile and be corralled in a basket!Great post, Lisa!
    50 tips for busy moms

    • http://www.workingnaked.com Lisa Kanarek

      Containers are my favorite organizing tool. They make organizing so much easier. Your organizing system will work for you long term because it fits your work style. Keep up the good work. :)

  • http://makeithappenmama.blogspot.com/ Emily @ Make It Happen Mama

    I love #3! Just because a system isn’t perfect doesn’t mean it isn’t functional :-)

    • http://twitter.com/WorkingNaked Lisa Kanarek

      Me too. People give up when they can’t do things perfectly but by making  few simple changes, they can make most systems work.

  • Pingback: UPDATE to ACT…taking up the habit of keeping my stuff ORGANIZED « ACT. REACT. or just THINK about it!

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  • http://www.adjuvancy.com/wordpress Roy A. Ackerman, Ph.D., E.A.

    So, you’re saying there’s hope for me yet :-) .  Actually, my work is highly organized.  My paperwork is no longer so- since I believe that everything needs to be scanned and in my computer systems.  If you persist in giving me paper, I feel free to determine if it should become a compost pile or not….

    • Anonymous

      There’s hope for everyone. You just have to find a system that works for you.

  • http://twitter.com/janettefuller Janette Fuller

    I think one of the keys to getting organized is to take “baby steps”. It is often overwhelming to try to tackle a huge mess in a limited amount of time.
    I have been caught-up in Myth #3 ~ Trying to get it perfect. You offer some very helpful insights in this article.

    • http://lifeyourway.net Mandi @ Life…Your Way

      Yep, I think that’s true for a lot of people!

    • Anonymous

      Perfectionism can hold us back. Taking baby steps is a good way to go. If you change just one thing about the way you get organized, it can make a big difference.

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