Normally, our guest bloggers are featured on Thursdays, but since that’s a holiday this week in the US, we’re sharing an interesting piece by Victoria Brown. She thinks there’s an upside to being unorganized. What say you?

I am naturally an organized person, but running my own design business has taught me the merits of taking the disorganized approach from time to time.

Why do today when the goalposts might move tomorrow?
In all walks of life, the best laid schemes go awry. When working with clients, I find that the brief can change frequently throughout the course of a project, which can render previous work redundant. In this case, masterly inactivity is key. If you were to take the organized approach in this situation and do all the work as you receive it, your productivity would decrease, since you would spend more time undoing and redoing your previous endeavours.

Being organized can preclude enjoyment
Think about events and gatherings you have enjoyed, occasions where there was a real positive spirit and everyone had a good time. Were these the best organized occasions? Not necessarily.

An organized approach cannot manufacture a good time and often has the opposite effect. Couples invest thousands of pounds on their wedding day; families organize every minute of their holiday. In both cases, an inordinate amount of pressure is placed on one day or two weeks, which can never hope to live up to the expectations.

More important is that everyone feels relaxed and able to be spontaneous. Sometimes when we try to plan each and every little detail, enjoyment falls by the wayside.

Efficiency can be at the expense of getting things right
We often find ourselves working to a tight deadline so it pays to be organized, right? Wrong. Often trying to be too efficient and get things done too quickly can be the source of errors. If something is important and you need to get it right, it’s better to take the time to do so.

In addition, not everything can be managed efficiently. It takes time to comfort a friend who is upset or to appreciate the finer things in life, such as the arts. The more we live life according to a schedule, the more impatient and stressed we become, and the less time we have to stop and smell the roses.

An organized desk may not be a creative desk
Apparently a messy, cluttered desk represents a more intelligent mind. Certainly, being organized can prevent ideas from flowing freely. So you’re trying to write a book, but you know that there are chores to do. If you take the organized approach, the housework will get done but will you ever get around to writing the book?

Sometimes we need chaos around us to let the left side of our brains – the more creative part – take control.

Sleep on it and let your mind do the work
Sometimes information is organised in the brain in a seemingly chaotic way, but there are important links which the mind establishes in its own way. Taking your time over a task or problem can often allow your mind to forge these links without your “organized”, conscious mind getting in the way and dismissing valuable connections.

The upshot? Everything in moderation. Don’t punish yourself for taking the disorganized route every once in a while. You may find that it opens up new, creative opportunities in your life.

About The Author

Victoria Brown is an experienced, professionally qualified freelance Cambridge web developer committed to delivering bespoke, elegant and affordable web solutions to small and medium-sized businesses.

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