Get Organized, Get Productive

Did you know that 80% of household clutter is due to disorganization, not space issues (stat from ready-set-organize.com).

I guess that explains how I have a room in my house I devoted entirely to storage, yet somehow my roommate’s bedroom is always covered in clothes, shoes and books.

The reason for the mess is not a matter of lack of span, it is a matter of lack of plan.

I think productivity is very similar.

I am at my most productive when I have a clearly stated plan and know exactly what I have to do and when I have to do it. It has very little to do with the amount of time at on my hands. I could have hours of free time, but if I just wing it I will not get much done.

Take this blog for instance.

It is not always easy to write frequently. Things come up, life gets in the way, and writing gets pushed to the back burner. When I first started writing I would easily forget about creating content when I had no idea what I was going to write about next.

I realized that if I was going to be productive, I needed to get organized. I created a calendar to map out all of my future posts. I keep notes of everything that pops into my head that I might want to blog about. I even send myself text messages and email reminders of potential attention grabbing content.

I am not ultra-creative or able to think of brilliant things that others cannot. But I am organized. And that is what helps me write daily.

I don’t have any stats to back this up, but I bet somewhere in the neighborhood of 80% people give up on writing a blog due to disorganization, not lack of content or time.

I would venture to guess that something similar can be said for your industry. Being organized can tip the scales in favor or becoming successful instead of giving up.

Think back to the household cutter example from above. Is your closet a mess because you don’t have enough hangers or is it because you haven’t taken the time to organize your shirts.

You have the space to be great in your field. It just may take a little organization before you are able to realize it.

(Photo credit: Flickr)