5 Tip Tuesday: Embrace Imperfection!
5 Tip Tuesday: Embrace Imperfection!
You’ve seen them, so you know they exist. Those extraordinary people who seem to magically, effortlessly manage the whole kit and caboodle. No sweat. No meltdowns. Just serene in the knowledge that it’s all more or less under control. What is the secret to attaining that miraculous state? The surprising truth is that these people probably spend less time organizing than you might think. Rather than rabidly chasing an unattainable state of perfection, they instead opt for a more sane approach we call ‘imperfect organization.’
Alicia & Sarah on the concept of ‘imperfect organization’
“Imperfect organization is a novel concept that examines organization within the broader context of your total life. The basic premise holds that in order to get more sanely buttoned up overall, you may need to let go of the need to be perfectly organized in some individual areas of your life. The goal is to have a flexible framework that will help you stay on top of the myriad details that make up everyday life AND yet remain limber enough to handle the inevitable curve balls that get thrown your way. So no matter what your circumstance, no matter how many balls you have in the air – you’ll be cool as a cucumber.”
Five tips for embracing imperfection in order to get buttoned up:
#1: Focus on the Fundamentals
Having everything perfectly in order is not essential, in fact it may be detrimental to organization. What you really need to have buttoned up are the three basics: schedules, important papers (financial/medical), and major project plans (task lists). As a rule of thumb, you should spend 80% of your organizational energy staying on top of the three fundamentals.
#2: Learn to See Perfection as an Illusion
Organization is not an end state, but rather an ongoing fact of life; it’s a process When you’re pressed for time, there’s no need to waste energy worrying about those toys strewn on the living room floor, the dishes lingering in the rack by the sink, or the unmade bed.
#3: Ask For Help
If you don’t ask for help, you certainly won’t get it. In the next week ask 2 people for help. It can be simple like asking your kids to make their beds or set the table or even more ambitious like asking your spouse to clean out the garage. Give it a try and then sit back and enjoy.
#4: Baby Steps
Take one project you really want to get done but have not managed to tackle and break it down into steps. It might be to get the photos from your last vacation printed off from your computer and in an album. Just break the total project into 30 minute steps and get going. Once you start and see it can be done, it is easy to do.
#5: Find A Friend
Find a friend or family member and commit to them to trying to let go of perfection. Let them know you are going to focus on the important things and try to let the rest go. Ask your ‘buddy’ to hold you accountable to your commitment and help you out.
