Creating Organization Based on Your Organizing Style

Maybe you’ve tried to figure out why you struggle with organization? Have you wondered why you just can’t maintain your organizing system? This is all based on your organizing style and your organizing system. They may not be compatible.

If you’ve wondered why it is easier for some people to be organized than others, read on.

It really comes down to how your brain works. I won’t get into the science of this but I do want to help you know why you are or are not organized. 

There are two hemispheres of the brain and many of us are dominant in one hemisphere over the other. This means we utilize the one hemisphere predominantly over the opposite hemisphere. Balanced living actually utilizes both parts of the brain equally. 

See which one resonates more with you:

1. Left brain dominant
   • Analyzes - Disciplined -Structured
   • Punctual -Processes through words
   • Detail oriented -Logical
2. Right brain dominant
   • Artistic -Driven by senses and expressive of feelings
   • Out of the box thinker -Reacts with feelings first
   • Nonverbal, abstract processes -No sense of time

You can clearly see why it would be best to be an equal blend of both. One is not better than the other. Some of us have the balance and that is great. What do you do when you don’t?

For the left brain dominant personality, organizing is pretty easy. All things in logical order as far as time, priorities, goals and tasks. This includes things like budgets, meal plans, grocery lists and task lists along with planners. Clothes are put away in order that is logical and disciplined. It is easy to find things when they are needed. Some of the high brain thinking might say that this personality needs to let go and have fun once in awhile without calculating and analyzing everything!

For the right brain dominant personality, living organized is more of a challenge. While this type of personality has no shortage of ideas, they do lack the completion status of the projects. This personality is known for being fun and free spirited. However, projects or tasks that are uninteresting can be hard to get done for this personality. Most of the time it’s a struggle to get anywhere on time or to stick to a schedule.

The difficulty lies in the fact that we do have to get things done around our homes, in our jobs and in relationships. 

Tips to create organization for the right brain dominant personality:

1. Make it fun. Turn on music, have a friend who is more left brain than you keep you on task. This really comes in handy when you have to complete a task you don’t like. 
2. Set a timer. Work in short chunks of time. It’s hard to stay focused for long periods. Work in no more than 15-45 minute chunks of time.
3. Take a break for about 15 minutes to recharge. Go outside, get some exercise but completely leave the area. Your brain will be revitalized and ready to go. 
4. Do ONE thing until lit is completed. Start to finish, concentrate on your focus on this utilizing steps 1-3.
5. Use your peak performance time of day to do the most challenging tasks. You can really benefit from matching your energy levels to the task. 
6. Time check yourself.  For 1 week, keep a tablet and pen near you to track the amount of time it takes to do all daily tasks. This is the actually time start to finish.
   • EX: Brush teeth ______    Make up _____  make breakfast ______
   • It needs to be this specific. Once you have done this you have a better idea of what you can actually accomplish in  24 hours. It also explains why you have not been able to complete tasks. ( This is all good information to give better insight)
7. Use your resources. If you know completing tasks is not your thing, utilize the person who can. Remember, right brain dominant people are creative idea people but could benefit from a left brain person to work out the details and move the project to completion. There is no shame in knowing your limitations.
8. Reward for completion. Find a way to treat yourself that won’t result in buying something. Ex: If I put away this laundry, I will allow myself to do _______ for 15 minutes. The brain loves a reward. 
9. Break it down. By looking at the project as a whole, you run the risk of being overwhelmed and never starting. Take that big project/task and break it up into smaller more manageable tasks. If you are trying to organize a bedroom, start with one area of the bedroom. When I work with clients, we work the sides of the room and move one side at a time around the room until we are done. The closet is its own project as are the dresser drawers. 
10. Make it visually appealing. It doesn’t  matter if you are organizing paper, clothing or spices, the right brain is always looking for stimulation. This is a great opportunity to use color or patterns in creating a system that works for you. Be mindful of what appeals to your eye the most and work that into your system. i have had a client want their entire bookcase to be organized in rainbow order. This meant that all of the books would be organized based on the color of the spines in the ROYGBIV order of the rainbow. Another client, wanted all of the same hanger in the closet. This is about making the system your own.

It doesn’t matter whether your are right/left brain dominant or an equal matching of both, your organizing system should match it. This gives you the best chance of staying organized. For people of right brain or left brain dominance, there will come a time when you need to call upon someone with the opposite brain dominance to balance your habits of organizing out. We know that we will likely live with people who are the opposite of us and I say, use it to be stronger as a team.