Small Business Today Magazine JUN 2014 MASTERWORD SERVICES INC | Page 25

EDITORIALFEATURE

Getting Organized:

Are “Organizing Myths” Stopping You?
By Holly Uverity CPO®, Office Organizers

W

hat do you believe about organizing? What do you know about
organizing? What’s your definition of an organized person? I’ve
found that many business people believe
in what I call “organizing myths” – beliefs
they have which may or may not be true
but are keeping them from becoming better organized.

Here are a few of the most common
myths along with the realities:

• Myth: The tools are too sophisticated
or the systems are too complicated.
• Reality: Simple is often the best.

While some paper and electronic systems can be pretty sophisticated and
overwhelming, the truth is that the tools
you choose don’t have to be complicated.
Some people operate effectively using a
planner and a pen. Getting organized is like
learning any other new skill, so start easy.
Buy only the simplest tools you think you
will need and will actually USE. You may
find that the simplest tools are the best.

• Myth: Organization looks boring. 
• Reality: Not anymore.

There has been an explosion of organizing tools in the marketplace over the last
five years and there is no reason that your
office has to look like a boring cube if you
don’t want it to. Organizational products
now come in all shapes, sizes, and colors.
In addition, there are now products designed specifically for men and women.
If you don’t like the tools you’re seeing,
expand your view to look beyond office
supply stores and look in the bathroom
and kitchen departments of stores. Just because something is designed for a kitchen

doesn’t mean it can’t be used in an office.
If you like how your tools look, you’ll be
more inclined to use them.

• Myth: I can only touch something
once.
• Reality: The number of times you
touch something has nothing to do
with organization.

There has been an
explosion of organizing
tools in the marketplace over the last five
years and there is no
reason that your office
has to look like a boring cube if you don’t
want it to.
This myth can be debilitating because if
you believe you can only touch something
once, you won’t touch anything unless you
absolutely know what you are going to do
with it. You can touch things more than
once but you have to move them through
your system.You can’t simply shove papers
around on your desk. When you touch/
move them, it has to be mindful and with a
specific reason that you are moving something to a specific place. Eliminate mindless
shuffling.

• Myth: I’m a mess that no organizing
system can fix.
• Reality: There is a system for everyone.

Organization exists on a spectrum.
Some people are highly organized and live
on one end of the spectrum while others

are less organized and live on the other
end of the spectrum. Most people live in
the middle. While you may consider yourself disorganized, that doesn’t mean that
you can’t become better organized. Organization is very personal and looks different for everyone, so a success for you
might be something as simple as keeping
the top of your desk clear. The goal is for
you to become more organized than you
already are. You don’t have to be as organized as someone else. 

Organizing is a skill and while some of us
are better at it than others, it can be taught
to everyone who wants to learn. Anyone
who wants to change can do so.There are
tools and techniques for everyone.

Clutter is the physical manifestation of
indecision. Learn to make decisions on
a daily basis about what your office looks
like and how you spend your time.

An organized person can find what they
need when they need it.  That’s it.  There’s
no magic formula to determine who is organized and who is not. It’s just a matter of
being able to have what you need when
you need it.

Getting and staying organized doesn’t
have to be boring, hard, or complicated. It’s
only that way if you think it is.

Office Organizers, founded in 1993 by Holly Uverity, is The Entrepreneur’s Organizer.  They work with
business people to create solutions for their organizational challenges.  You can contact them by phone at
281-655-5022 or visit them on the web at www.OfficeOrganizers.com. “Like” them on Facebook at www.
fb.com/OfficeOrganizers.
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