Organization

Disorganization from distractions happen to all of us.  We have never been so productive, so busy and at the same time so distracted. Throughout history there have always been issues that have prevented us from doing what we set out to do.  But, it’s never been as hard as it is today to try staying organized in this age of distractions. Technology has its benefits but also its drawbacks.

The very fact that we have so many choices in terms of technology can also cause problems. Having instant access to family, friends, work and the rest of the noise can be very distracting. Email, smartphones, mobile devices, laptops and other “screens” can get in the way of staying organized, even though the technology was originally created to make you more productive and organized.

Identify Areas of Disorganization

The very first thing to do is take an honest look at your life. Look at your home, work, extra activities and more. Make a list of the areas where you see a lack of organization and then start to tackle them.  There are different types of disorganization from distractions to deal with.  You can learn to capture what you need to do, break it down into logical steps, prioritize those steps, figure out what’s next and then get to work doing what needs to be done − without feeling distracted, overworked, stressed out, and out of control. You just need to have a plan of action and an understanding of why you need to do things in a certain way. Then you’ll finally really be organized.  Here’s a short article on ways to get organized.

Technology

The technology can actually cause you to feel pressure to do even more. No matter how amazing you are, you start feeling inadequate that you cannot do more. The technology ends up becoming more of a distraction rather than a useful helper. Take heart, though; you can learn how to wrangle the technology and make it work for you. You can become more organized even if it doesn’t come naturally. You can give yourself permission to do things differently.

Life Event

– Circumstances can happen that interrupt your normal way of life, such as a death, a wedding, a birth, or other once-in-a-blue-moon event. This can also happen if you have a special deadline at work or other situation. These things can cause you to lose track of what you planned to do for a short period of time, although usually you can get back on track. Simple things like your family dropping in unexpectedly to visit when you have a full day scheduled, or you get a call from a friend who needs your help when you are working on a big project with an upcoming deadline.  All of us have been there.  These issues lead to disorganization from distractions while preventing our ability to remain focused on our goals.

Bad Habits

– Many people just develop bad habits over time that get out of hand. For example, you start stacking your mail on the corner of your desk without a plan of action and then before you know it, you have no idea where to find the phone bill and you end up paying it late. Or when you come home, you simply throw your coat on the couch and take off your shoes right then. Unfortunately, they may end up staying there and creating disorganization and distraction for you.  Maybe, over time, you have started to stack dirty dishes on the counter in the kitchen and simply forget them until much, much later.  Not only is this a health issue (bugs anyone?) but it creates a very disorganized kitchen.

Your Upbring

– Disorganization from distractions can manifest in various ways. It can be because of the way you were raised , or the opposite of your upbringing. Some of this depends on your personality and how rebellious you might be.  Not everyone lives and grows up in a picture perfect home and not everyone was raised by a family who had the time to teach correct behaviors.  Today, most parents have to work just to feed everyone, so children end up spending time raising themselves.

Your Social Network

– These days, we are all encouraged to have a lot of things and do a lot of things, and the people who you hang out with seem to determine what kind disorganization you have in your life.  If you hang with the partying crowd, you will not put much emphasis on being organized because having fun is such a distraction.  Who wants to become organized when you could be out having fun?  While these distractions are temporarily fun, if you live your whole life with this mind set you will find that you may spin out of control.  What works for teens and very young adults does not always translate to being productive for the older adult.

Habitual

– If your home or workspace or both are piled high with disorder, there is a possibility that you have a situation called “chronic disorganization” which is a real condition that can require professional help to overcome. There are many people who love to organized and will help you straighten out your environment to help you become a more productive and happier person.

Regardless of your personal situation, the best thing that you can do is to try some of the tips, suggestions, and ideas that will follow.  You can prevent disorganization from distractions if you know what to do.  Next we will look at goal setting and how that can help with organization.