“You see being organised is not about being perfect; it's about customising your whole world to work for you” – Source Unknown
Not everyone is naturally good at being organised. However, it’s an attribute that should be aspired to because when we’re disorganised it costs money, time or effort. How does your degree of disorganisation impact you?
My wife and daughter recently went on a trip of a lifetime together to Europe. This meant the boys and I had the house to ourselves while the girls were away. What could possibly go wrong!!! Fortunately, everything went quite well. I did though learn the reason why research discovered that reducing clutter reduces housework by 40%. My family’s busy life means we have to be quite organised. However, we wanted to have the house in ship shape order for when the girls arrived home. While we achieved that, we did so by having what I’ll refer to as a crazy working bee the night before they returned. If only we’d been tidier earlier!!!
The impact of disorganisation is even more prevalent at work. When compared to their more organised colleagues, the common issues disorganised workers grapple with are they:
- Have less clarity
- Are slower to respond to complex requests for information
- Are inconsistent in their ability to meet deadlines
- Feel more tired due to having to remember where everything is
The cost though to businesses can be significant. For example, a sales representative or solopreneur who doesn’t follow-up on leads or inquiries may never land a new big customer or lose an important customer. A disorganised manager who doesn’t provide staff with sufficient guidance or lead times typically loses the respect of the staff altogether.
Three things to consider when deciding whether you need to be organised are:
- Define what being organised means to you
- Is it simple enough for you to have the discipline to maintain it?
- Understand the impact of not being organised
Being organised is a fundamental skill business people need to have. If it’s your weakness, then get help from a coach or a mentor to make it a strength because doing so may prove to be the difference between success and failure.