Organization is defined as ‘the day-to day workings, the systems, natural or designed by humans- of a place or a life.”  We all perceive organization in different ways. The actual word “organized” means different things to different people. Many people enjoy a certain amount of visual chaos. They may be creative types who are comfortable with a messy environment. How much and what type of”stuff” do you genuinely enjoy having around you?

Do you have systems, processes and procedures that are contributing to your efficiency and productivity?

Is all this working to help you achieve your goals, be more spontaneous, bring more freedom, financial stability and fun into your life?

If not, it is time to change your focus and Get Productive to the Max!

FOCUS is the new buzzword in the organizational effectiveness arena. Do you find that you are constantly spinning your wheels? You have so much to do, so many places to go, so much to accomplish, yet at the end of the day, the feeling of success has eluded you?

We live in a constantly changing world. Technology was created to make ours work easier, quicker and more effective but it sometimes has the opposite effect. The 24-7 accessibility through emails and cell phones has just exacerbated the problems. We are expected to do more with less yet our responsibilities have not declined in any way.

Let’s compare our lives to a stoplight. We are always on GREEN. Going, going, going. We have family duties, career responsibilities, financial obligations, hobbies, volunteer work, not to mention recreational time for ourselves. The pace just keeps in creasing because we cannot or do not want to say no to anything. Eventually something has to give. We start to fell unwell; our boss berates us for a less than stellar response to the last few uncompleted projects; our kids are getting into trouble right under our noses and our partners, wives, spouses or friends are complaining that we do not spend enough time communicating our needs. Whoops! We are in yellow stoplight mode and should be proceeding with CAUTION. Do we take heed? Not really. We know we should go to the doctor, smarten up at work, help our kids and communicate with partners but the importance is lost in the swirl of activity as we keep on trucking. Eventually we are forced to STOP on the red light and it is not a pretty sight. We become very ill: we lose our jobs: our kids end up on drugs and our friends, partners and spouses find solace elsewhere. Does this sound like something that would affect your life?

 If so, I would like you to rethink the process. Why don’t you STOP on red and determine who you are, what you want and where you are going? Take some planned time out of your busy week (or weekend) and contemplate your navel. Take the following steps:

Write down all the roles you play each day. We all wear a different number of hats depending on the relationships we have with others. Remember to include both personal and professional roles. You will realize at the end of this exercise that there are an overwhelming number of responsibilities that determine how we spend our time.
Determine who you are and what you want in life. Brainstorm, free-think, let the ideas fly. What do you enjoy? What can people do for you? What is working and not working? What do you want to be when you grow up? What are you thankful for? What is lacking in your life?
Set ONE goal in every important area of your life. The life areas are as follows: Social and Cultural, Financial and Career, Family and Home, Physical and Health, Ethical and Spiritual, Mental and Educational. Break each goal into small components and start working on achieving each component. Pick one goal at a time. I find in my coaching practice that many clients have too many goals and in their attempt to achieve them all at once, become very disillusioned quickly. Pat yourself on the back for taking any tiny step that will help you achieve your goal. Constant rewards are essential.

You have now laid the foundation for an effective life. Once you determine who you are, what you want and where you want to go then you will answer only to yourself instead of responding to other’s perceptions of who you are, who they feel you should be or what they want you to do for them.

You are now ready to PROCEED WITH CAUTION. It will be necessary to learn organizing skills so you can better manage your time. You may have many projects on the go but if you can’t find the information, achievement will not be forthcoming. Decluttering, filing, organizing emails and creating a peaceful environment are issues of importance. You will also need to control your life through the use of time so your productivity can increase. Planning. prioritizing and understanding your own “personality” will improve your efficiency and effectiveness.

Congratulations! You will soon be able to GO and live a happy, healthy and productive life. Values and priorities can be reclarified, obstacles (like stress, guilt and saying no) eliminated and enjoyment planned.

Being organized may not make you super-hero, the best mom, dad, friend or boss but it will help you to determine what is important in life and where to place your priorities. You will be able to spend time doing what you want, with whom you want and become happy, productive, healthy and efficient. That certainly sounds like a plan to me.