“No matter what I do to get organized, it never seems to last. I end up feeling like I’ve failed, so I avoid trying altogether. I guess I just wasn’t born with the organized gene.”
A recent client spoke these familiar words as we stood in the pile of clothes collected from over 20 years of postponed decisions.
I hear this notion all too often. “I’m just not an organized person.” “I’ve never been organized, so I’ve learned to embrace the chaos as my natural state of being.”
Honestly, to a great extent- what they’re saying is right.
It does not come naturally for most people to stay organized. Our brains actually function in ways that PREVENT us from staying organized on a daily basis.
It’s in our evolutionary defense to avoid pain and to procrastinate. Our brains are always looking for the path of least resistance. As a result, we are far more inclined to avoid making decisions and put off small tasks for a later time.
An organized person must OVERRIDE these neural pathways that have been engrained into us through years of disorganization and procrastination. They must exude EFFORT to make the small daily decisions, which go against the natural inclination to save energy.
So don’t feel defeated- it’s a primal instinct, not a character flaw to blame yourself for.
But what can you do to break the cycle? Now that you’re aware of your brains precarious way of keeping you unorganized- how do you RETRAIN your brain to be organized?
Developing the diligence to maintain organization is much like growing a muscle in the gym.
When you first start working out, it feels uncomfortable. You’re tempted to quit often and don’t see results overnight. But with each rep you find it getting easier. Results begin to appear and you’re motivated to move onto harder and heavier reps.
The same goes with organization. Hanging your rejected outfit back in the closet rather than throwing it on the floor, or filing away important papers after you’ve marked the significant dates will FEEL like a lot of time and energy to expend at first. But once you start addressing your daily decisions head on, right away, you’ll notice how accomplished you feel. With these small accomplishments, you will gain confidence to be diligent with even more decisions in your life. We’re all wired with neural pathways that encourage us to behave a certain way. However, what’s so wonderful and unique about human psychology is that we have the ability to REWIRE these pathways to live our lives the way we want.
It’s okay to ask for help to get yourself back to a baseline of organization! Creating the systems that encourage you to stay organized are often where I see clients get stuck, and that’s where a Professional Organizer can come in and set you up for success. Once the system is in place, it is truly my goal to see a space that looks the same as when I left it at my 6 month follow up! I believe everyone can maintain organization with a little guidance at first, and the daily practice of being intentional with our stuff.