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Blog: The Language Of Organizing
 Taking care of problems vs. solving them
Being organized doesn't mean everything is always perfect (a huge relief to me!) But when you encounter a problem or challenge, the organized approach is first: take care of the problem. Then: solve it. These are two separate and distinct activities.
Taking care of the problem means doing whatever is necessary in the moment to resolve the immediate crisis. For example, if you can't find the papers you need for the staff meeting, you quickly print them out again, ask a colleague for a copy, or simply rush to the meeting without them. Or if you have all your receipts and tax documents in a shoe box as tax day approaches, you may have to stay up late one night to tidy it for the accountant, or pay the price of having the accountant spend more time sorting it out herself.
But taking care of the problem isn't enough. You'll find yourself in the same situation again and again if you don't solve the problem. And while it feels disorganized to have a problem occur once, it is demoralizing to have it happen repeatedly.
Solving the problem takes a little more thought, and requires an investment of time. To prevent the problem from recurring, reflect on how you can change your process to ensure that you are prepared next time. In the first example, that may require you to organize your physical space, or it may require that you schedule a little window of prep time into your day prior to meetings. In the tax example, you can prevent being disheveled as tax day approaches by setting up a simple system for yourself at the beginning of the tax year, instead of just shoving stuff into a box as the year progresses, and then having to sort it out as tax day looms.
Language matters…note my choice of words: to solve the problem requires and investment of time. Taking care of the problem in the moment generally takes less time than solving it for the future. But you'll end up doing it over and over. Learn from challenges as they arise – they are opportunities to streamline your systems, giving you a chance to boost your productivity. Improving your process may take an investment of time, but you'll reap dividends in peace of mind as well as productivity.
Decide right now what problems you've allowed to recur, and commit to solving them. I can't wait to hear about your success!
posted on: 2/4/2008 9:05:42 PM by Porter Knight
category: General organizing Tips
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The Language Of Organizing
by Porter Knight
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About Porter:
Yes, I love organizing. And I love teaching others how to adopt the skills necessary to become more organized. But you know why I organize? Because what I really love to do is ride horses, hike, practice yoga, swim, read, dance, and spend time with my family (2 boys, husband and dog). Being organized allows me to balance all the aspects of my life so I can enjoy life fully. Since 1996 I have used vivid descriptions of organizing solutions to help make productivity and balance more achievable for thousands of individuals. Jump on board!
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